


The Valley Was Filled with Tears

by Alcathera



Series: Keith was fire [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Also science is magic don't ask, Am I world building bc I'm not ready for this, Angst, Brotp to come, But Lotor is there so there is that, Canon up till mid season 3 I think, Chapter 1 has now its own 'story' and end in The Long Dark Way, Fluff, Galra Keith (Voltron), History, I hope, Insecurity, Keith (Voltron) Angst, Keitor is getting strong in this one WTF, Klance later on (like much later), Lance (Voltron) Angst, Multi, Not A Fix-It, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Build, The future isn't a funny place, Things will be better but not right away, Time Travel, Trust Issues
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-07
Updated: 2018-01-07
Packaged: 2019-01-10 08:19:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 23,831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12295143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alcathera/pseuds/Alcathera
Summary: Red had always loved Alfor - he was her first paladin after all. At first, she had been hesitant about accepting him. No matter what Green said, she was sure that he'd have made a wonderful green paladin. However, she was the first to admit that his laugh was quite endearing - and one of the reasons why she finally chose him. The cheeky brat knew how to worm his way into their lives.It may have been why she took socially-awkward Keith under her wing. She didn't want to replace Alfor and couldn't bear the idea of being constantly reminded of him - she didn't understand how Blue managed to do it. Their recklessness aside, they were nothing alike and it was for the better. Red could still remember how painful Alfor's death had been and she was determined to never feel like that again. Call her selfish, but she intented on keeping her distance with Keith.Keith who wasn't supposed to be so lovable. Keith who knew pain as much as her. She didn't expect to find a confidant in him, but before she knew it, she was moving heaven and earth to save him.Alfor had been much older when she met him but Keith was still a cub. Her cub. She would do anything to save him.And that's exactly what she did.





	1. Big Crunch

**Author's Note:**

> So. I did it? I didn't think that my first published work would be on the Voltron fandom but oh well... I regret nothing! 
> 
> Let it be known that English is not my first language so it wouldn't be surprising if you find mistakes while reading... Oops? 
> 
> Still, I hope you'll like it and that my way of writing is not too confusing ! :)

“Are there alpakeeres in your home world?”

“… What now?”

A huff.

“You know that animal we saw phoebes ago. Ugly, yellow, climbing trees. Useless.”

A moment to ponder on the description and then: “The koala?”

He clearly heard the snort coming from the other side of the transmission link.

“Are you seriously asking me this question?”

“No need to be sarcastic. And to answer; yeah, they exist. They’re grey, though. Why?”

“Nothing. I was just surprised by its ability to dodge the paygter chasing after it. Something so pathetically defenceless should be easier to kill. I felt quite embarrassed for the paygter. What a shame that it managed to escape.”

“Are you telling me that you’d have preferred seeing it dead? Are you serious?”

“As the heir of a race known for being hunters, I believe it is my duty to feel offended. A thing so pathetically harmless has no right to mock its natural predator by hiding out of reach. Only cowards do this.”

“Because surviving was weak?”

“Fleeing like that was. Listen, I have nothing against this strategy - after all I like being alive as much as the next Krellian – but there is no honour in listening to its primal instincts. It was quite shameful to witness it.”

 “Right… Death or victory, isn’t it?”

“And honour whenever possible.”

A pause.

“On Earth, there’s a lot of species living in trees to stay safe.”

A curse.

“I knew that the people of that planet had no principle but it is worse than I thought. It is quite disgusting. It is a wonder that you managed to live among those barbarians!”

Silence. He could see AGT-520 clearer and clearer. The military base on this part of the planet was getting bigger and bigger and he felt the well-known tug of anticipation at the bottom of his stomach. It was the last step of the mission and soon they would be able to go back to the Castle. Paradoxically, he did not know what to think about it. Thankfully, his Lion’s calming presence at the back of his mind put a stop to his rising anxiety.

_Together. Both of them in Red’s hangar. Home._

“Will you show them to me?”

The ticks of puzzlement gave way to laughter. His voice alongside Red’s purrs broke the silence of the cockpit, bouncing off the metallic walls and filling the small place with his own presence.

“First, we must go out of here alive, find the others and win the war. But after that? Why not?”

It should not be surprising that after so many years spent fighting in an intergalactic war many things had lost their appeal. Wonder and amazement turning into apathy. He recalled Coran explaining that this lack of enthusiasm was a common feature among war veterans. Nowadays, even Allura wore a blank expression on her face. Even though her dedication remained the same, he mourned the naïve princess from the beginning who was driven by a will more powerful than Voltron itself. He guessed that all these years had taken a toll on their minds.

They had been foolish to believe that they could protect all the universe, that this war would cause no casualty. Pain was part of them now, embracing their core and so deeply entrenched in their intrinsic nature that he could not remember a day without it being there.

He had always known that wounds were not only physical. Nevertheless, he never fathomed that death could be declined and take so many forms. Never had he imagined that it could be possible to be alive while feeling so little. He had always been easily overwhelmed by his emotions, yet, lately it was as if he were navigating in a blurry dream. Waking, training, negotiating, fighting and sleeping when he could no longer stay on his feet. Living without being truly conscious, experiencing fire only in the middle of a battle.

He could not express how grateful he was to Red whose warmth anchored his soul to this world.

_Loyalty._

Red who saved him countless times and for whom he would keep on fighting.

_Praise. Keith floating into Space. Grumbles._

His friend for whom he would wake up every morning.

_Happiness. Pride._

His soulmate for whom he would gladly sacrifice his life if she asked for it. 

_Never. Adoration. Love. Keith speaking to Red. Red purring. Together. Forever? Forever!_

He was exhausted. So tired. Get me out of here, he wanted to scream. Instead he spotted a hiding place for Red far enough from the base without being out of reach in case of a quick retreat.

A lot of things that had once been fascinating left a bitter after-taste in his mouth now. However, and despite his long-lasting disinterest regarding Earth, he felt the renewal of something he had thought forgotten in the pit of his stomach. Contentment at the mere idea of a road trip with a former foe.

Death or victory. Fleeing was frowned upon. Yet, who was he when he only longed for a place far away from his responsibilities and those he promised to protect?

What was he? He, who volunteered to go to so many missions outside of the Voltron Realm to avoid being in the same room as Shiro and Lance.

Keith feared that the red paladin was no more, buried under piles of aching muscles, invisible scars and tears he could no longer shed.

* * *

 

Well. Apparently, shit hitting the fan was still a thing. Keith cursed under his breath when a shot grazed Red and veered right.

_Growl. Keith hitting his face against a door. Red laugh--_

“Sorry, girl.”

_-ttention. Fleet of spacecrafts. Worry!_

“I know!”

Let it be known that he had been kidding earlier. Bypassing the security should have been easier and surviving this death trap not so difficult. Strangely, the joke had lost some of its fun - not that it had a lot of it to start with.

If he were to die here, the rest of the team would never let him live it down. A short bark of laughter left his lips at this thought and he felt blood fill his mouth.

_!_

Another shot – from the right side this time – hit Red and the cabin jolted. Keith tried to maintain his control over the directions in spite of the quivers and his widening wound but it was in vain.

Fear and frustration were battling inside him – they were trapped, surrounded by enemies, had nowhere to escape to and Red was hurt – and he did not know what to do. His mind was boiling under the pressure of a jumble of useless thoughts. He could not stay focus, his brain numbed by the pain and hyper-aware of Red’s flickering presence.

Keith swore. It was supposed to be an easy reconnaissance mission before going back home! Why did the alarm have to be triggered?! What set it off?!

_Blood. Worry. Pain?_

“I’m -kay, kitty. I’ve had worse an’ y’know it” he mumbled trying to convey reassurance through their bond.

_\--od. -oo- ! ---!_

The beginning of a headache was quickly forming at the back of his mind but he could not close his eyes to alleviate the sharp pressure, not when it would mean Red’s and his capture. He would never let himself be taken back to those cells.

He bit his lips and stilled his resolve. Quickly shooting at two fighter jets, he swung Red to the left, her tail colliding with another that went astray and crashed into several ships. Not losing his momentum he turned around while activating Red’s laser. He did not wait to see the consequences of Red’s power and fled.

A burst of pain made him look down and he let a whine escape his lips. Well… at this pace, he would not have to fear about being taken captive. _Alarm._

A thick stream of red liquid was trickling down his body, along the chair to finally drop on the floor in a quickly growing puddle. Unconsciously, he had lessened his grip on his wound – he had a warship to run after all – but Red’s increasing worry prompted him to tighten his hold on his bleeding left side in an attempt to reduce the flow.

Another tremor shook Red when she used an asteroid to flip in another direction causing the crash of several ships trailing them too closely. His ears rushed with blood and Keith could not bring himself to pull up his lips in his trademark smirk. Red was the only reason they avoided the collision and he had left her alone in front of the Galra. He was dazed and piloting with only one hand slowed down his reflexes. Realistically, he knew he could not have helped but it did not prevent him from straightening from his slouched position on the chair.

He also decided that “piloting your Lion with only one hand” and “thinking that your hand would make a good compress” would join in his Bad Idea list.

“Quiznak!”

Focusing once more on their surroundings disclosed another problem. As if they were not enough, he grumbled. Keith had not paid enough attention when he changed their trajectory and now they were heading towards Pallas and its asteroid belt instead of going back to the meeting place Lotor designated.

Lotor. He stopped himself before his brain could create different scenarios regarding the former prince’s whereabouts. They had been surrounded by enemies, like right now, and amid all the confusion and fighting they had lost each other. One moment, Lotor had been following him and the other he had disappeared. The stabbing pain had already been weighing down his mind which was why he could not recall anything aside from running for dear life.

_Warmth. His friend’s ship escaping to the other side of the planet followed by few patrol jets. Safe._

Everything had been going so well - from the peaceful flight to AGT-520 only interrupted by their playful banter to entering the base without being noticed. Heck, they even managed to download the information about the trade routes and the military structure in this solar system. Keith could already pinpoint their weaknesses and picture one or two ideas to strike them. A wave of giddiness passed through him and given Lotor’s gasp, he was not the only one feeling it.

There was more potential to these planets than what had been thought at first. AGT-520 and its neighbouring planets were supposed to ease the way to Ordlad Hub thus improving access to services and provisions. However, what they saw was far more promising in that AGT-498 and AGT-140 could shelter refugees!

Since the destruction of Argus, the Lion Castle had become a transitory place for those in need. Unfortunately, in these times, many people were desperate enough to forego their privacy in exchange for safety. As a consequence, the Castle grew to be extremely crowded and the never-ending increasing number of arrivals was problematical – especially with their limited food supply. If they managed to take back this part of the universe then people could finally find a new home.

No need to say that the racket caused by the alarm had taken them by surprise. In any other moment, Lotor’s wide eyes and hanging mouth would have been funny and Keith would have teased him relentlessly. The other looked like a deer caught in the headlights and Keith had to push him before they started running towards the exit. Keith could not help wondering, though. The alarm had been disabled, Lotor had made sure of it. A younger version of the Red Paladin would have believed right away in his betrayal and tried to stab him at once. Yet, Keith knew better now and he only felt adrenaline and stress while his friend’s face was getting paler and paler.

_\---!_

Nonetheless, Keith swore in the safety of his mind to never let the other in charge of security again. Never trust someone who had everything done for him until recently – because, no, Keith would never believe in his self-centred tales of glory. He knew how to detect lies and those were pure myths.

It was weird how one’s opinion could change and if Lotor had been seen as this arrogant and standoffish prince waiting for the moment to double-cross them, Keith had qualified his first judgement. Of course, Lotor was still this utter jerk who turned his nose up at too many people and things but he was also completely dedicated to his cause and did not hesitate before standing for his beliefs and his few friends. Also, his sneaky tactics were few and far between and almost only used against Haggar or, in the past, the paladins. Because of that, Red and he had been completely flabbergasted when, during their first solo mission, he decided that waltzing into a government meeting was ingenious. The fool even took offence when guards tried to take him down. Needless to say, peace talks afterwards had been tense.

Pidge had come to the conclusion that Lotor thrived on attention and, on principle, Keith should not have left him alone with an alarm. Hell, the guy thought that using the Arena to pit himself against his political opponents in a public display of power was a good idea. Yes, Keith had heard of it – Ezor loved to talk, thank you very much – and while he might agree with the purpose, having it recorded was way too much. Lotor’s _damn flashiness_ was, to put it simply, infuriating. Even young Lance would have had a run for his money.

_\----! -ocus!_

They had run for what seemed a long time fending for their life and trying to avoid being caught in the middle of Haggar’s troops but, oh well, the results were rather obvious. Lotor had disappeared in a flurry of violent movements and animalistic groans and Keith had been harmed by the sole druid on the planet. How lucky was he?

_ATTENTION! Spacecrafts everywhere!! Keith’s pale face, lying still on the floor surrounded by a red halo! Fear! Cold! WORRY! FOCUS!_

A thud jerked the paladin back to reality and he clutched onto Red’s controls to find back his bearings. He made another mental note to stop dwelling on memories while making a run for it.

He had lost too much blood and could already feel the cold sensation grip his body. His muscles hurt and he had to rely on Red’s vision since his own had started to blur. But even her help was not enough for the paladin was already teetering on the threshold of consciousness. Keith was alone in the middle of enemy soldiers and he could no longer tell if Red’s unstable presence was because of him or due to her wounds and her effort to compensate for his inability to pull them out of this mess.

Jolts made him sick, his head spinning while a wave of nausea engulfed him. However - and despite having been flying non-stop since the beginning of the mission two phoebes ago and having suffered from countless shots from the soldiers’ pods – he could still feel Red trying to comfort him.

Keith was not worth it.

The harsh reality they had to face was that they were cornered and, this time, no one would come to rescue them. He was going to die and give them Red without any real resistance. What made it worse was that his enemies seemed to have the same realization and they did no longer try to shoot Red down, contenting themselves with waiting for their surrender. Everything was still. Red, herself, seemed to have stopped functioning, the lights inside the cabin dimming and finally turning off one by one.

Unlike other times, the darkness of the small place made him nervous. He was overwhelmed by a wave of grief, fear washed over him with the force of a merciless tyrant. He covered his mouth with his hand to muffle his whines.

The truth was that he did not know what to do. He would not, could not be caught but he could not bear the idea of leaving Red alone with them, letting them touch her with their filthy hands. Anything but this.

“I’m sorry Red. So sorry. We, no… I failed.”, he managed to utter with some difficulty.

Silence was his sole answer so he decided to confess. Talking was the only way to push the pain at the back of his mind.

“Between the two of us, you’ve always been the better part of our duo... I was supposed to bring you greatness but this isn’t the case, is it?”, he stammered.

“I can’t even win this stupid battle. I’m so sorry, Red. They’re coming and you don’t deserve that and you’ll be locked once again”, he nearly shouted, his throat aching. His right hand had abandoned his left side to pull on his hair accidentally scraping his ear. He gasped when he became aware of the lack of sensation in his fingers. Coldness was rapidly creeping around his body and heart.

He shivered – he could no longer feel Red’s warmth - and brought his legs back against his stomach embracing them with his arms in order to conserve little heat he still possessed. He laid his head on top of his arms and looked at Pallas, untouched in spite of the commotion. His following words were hushed by the sleeved pressed against his mouth.

 “I’m useless.”

A rumbling noise distracted his attention for a moment. He let himself relaxed a bit, knowing that Red was still there with him. A shuddering breath left him as a result of the pressure curling put on his torn muscles. Having said that, he felt as if something were relieving the pain of his wound. He frowned when he realized that the soft caress on his left side was the figment of a dying man’s imagination.

“I don’t know what to do, Red. You should have had another pilot.”

Tears were sliding down his lilac cheeks.

“Someone who would be more intelligent and skilled… They’d be less awkward and hot-headed too! And people would listen to them! And everybody would trust them at once and, and, and you…,” a sob tore his throat but he carried on, “someone better than this. Than me! I, I… I wish I could change things… but, the thing is, I can’t do anything! I never could! Whether it is this fucking war or saving people! I failed!”

The quietness of the cabin was only interrupted by his laboured respiration. He knew he was on the verge of having a panic attack but could not bring himself to care. His breath was coming out in puffs inside the freezing cabin and his eyes were wide. He flinched when Red started towards Pallas. Still, he said nothing.

“It’d taken a lot of time to accept it but… I don’t deserve you. You shouldn’t have to put up with me. I thought I had saved you from the Galra but, today, I’m letting them take you back. It’s pathetic. No wonder Lance can’t look at me anymore.”

_Love._

Keith blinked slowly and breathed a sigh of relief unconsciously. Regardless of his words, the mere thought of Red leaving him petrified him. Knowing that she was still present appeased him and gave him the illusion of warmth and power. Oddly enough, even the pressure on his throat seemed to lessen. Yet, he would not let himself be fooled by this deception. As time went on, his wound was getting hotter and hotter – no doubt a sign of infection – and was throbbing. His fingers were cold while his insides seemed to be on fire. Nonetheless, he focused on Red. He could no longer be egotistical and had to think about Red’s and the universe’s needs. The dam existing in front of his eyes was destroyed and his face and forearms were drenched.

“I… I love you too Red but listen to me: you deserve so much more. Not someone who failed you so many times! I was selfish and thought that if you chose me, it had to mean something. I wanted so badly to be good! For you, for the others, for the universe…but, we know that it’s not the case, don’t we?”

_Disagreement._

He flinched when he felt once again the imaginary touch on the nape of his neck. It was so cold that he straightened his back to distance himself from it.

“You know it’s true! If they hadn’t rescue me back then… perhaps you’d have a pilot good at this winning thing for a change.”

_Shock. Anger. Outrage. RAGE. Fury at the idea of abandoning him. A land burnt to the ground. Enemies cowering. Red and Keith. Keith and Red. Them. I. One entity._

He shook his head, refusing to hear what she said. His side was burning and soon he would be too far gone to speak to Red, let alone convince her of what he was about to do.

“I love you so much Red. You saved me so many times and I can’t lose you too, I refuse to be without you at my side! Red, let me go.”

_Roar! No. One jigsaw, two pieces. Us._

The ships around them had started again and were approaching as Red gained speed. He tried to stand up, to no avail. The Presence was now surrounding him, its hand going back to his wound while another was holding his own hand. Strangely enough, it conveyed of feeling of comfort. Keith quickly wondered if it was Death before turning his attention back to his friend.

“Let me go! Red! Leave me out there and run away, some of them will stop to capture me. It’s your only chance, Red! You must do it! I’m still important for the druids and, and, you have to go back home with the information! You have to!”, he said without pausing to take his breath.

 _Horror. Misery._ His own terror at the idea of being back among them.

“Red, let me do this. Go back to the others and tell them I’m sorry. Red, I’ve to do this.”

His seat belt tightening around him was his only answer before Red crashed into the side of two fighter jets, creating her own path towards the asteroid belts. Behind them, their enemy went into a new frenzy, firing without pausing, targeting not only the arm of Voltron but also their allies. Keith grabbed firmly his chair and tried to stay conscious while the Presence embraced him gently.

_Love. Love. Adoration. Cub. Never alone again. Together. Last dance._

The Lion shook once more, the tremors never stopping now. At this pace, she would not last under the onslaught of the others.

“What are you doing? Red!”

Pallas’s glittering, blue surface was getting closer and closer and Red was not slowing down. Keith had a bad feeling. They were moving too fast and Red kept on accelerating. He could already see the planet’s hard ground and it was without mentioning the asteroids all around them.

“Stop! It’s too dangerous! You’ll die!”

He unbuckled his belt and stood up ignoring the Presence’s attempts to calm him down and making him sit. When Red leaped over a rock to propel herself with more force towards the planet, he fell nearly knocking his head on the dashboard.

He swore, tried to stand up once more, slipped on his blood and decided to stay on the floor for the time being. Luckily, their enemies were still on the other side of the belt. Perhaps, they could escape after all? But, they were approaching Pallas at a worrying pace. They would be destroyed in the crash… Anxiety soared in his heart.

He tried to pull back the joystick to slow down but Red did not respond. He glared when he understood that the controls were out of service. It was as if Red had been sabotaged… Shocked, he understood that she was deliberately crashing and that she had severed her control circuits to prevent him from stopping her.

“Red! You can’t! Red!”

He thrust all his panic and fear into their bond but she did not listen to his pleas. His being was combusting and his injured side pulsing. The Presence was all over him, rocking him, shushing his cries and combing his hair with the utmost care.

_Never. Only you. Always you. For you. Give. Take. Warmth. Quintessence._

In a sudden epiphany, Keith looked up from his place between the shoulder and the neck – he guessed – of the Presence. Red? Even though her corporeal appearance was no longer working – only paying attention to her death wish – Red’s spirit was still at his side. Keith squinted and managed to distinguish the small, nearly invisible, yellow figure hovering over him and seized its – her – arm with a strength that surprised him.

“Why are you doing this?!”

She shook her head and hugged him close to her. _Keith dead. Can’t._ His injury throbbed once again when she put her hand on it, channelling and transferring her power inside him. He flinched at the blazing pain. _Crash. Quintessence released. Keith alive. Happiness._

“No! Stop! I don’t want this! Red!”

He tried to push her back, to put some distance between them but she was too strong – after all, it was _Red_ and she was considered a goddess in many worlds – and would not let him. Despite her flickering body, he was almost sure that she was smiling right now. He hated her for that.

“Please”, Red!

They would reach Pallas in nine ticks. Everything was lost. It hurt so much. He stopped resisting.

How could you?

_Bitter smile. Scolding a cub. For the better._

Five ticks.

Her form was no more and her presence was quickly fading as well. He lay on his back, hurt and hot and terribly alone.

 _Dwindling presence turning into nothingness._ Pain. So much pain. _Hope. Love. For you. Take._ No. _With you._ Do not leave me alone. _Never._ It’s what you’re doing. _Never. I love you._

Two ticks.

Red everywhere. Red nowhere. Red inside him. Heat within him. Fire in his veins. Smoke in his breath. Light in his heart. Brightness in his eyes.

And nothing.

One tick.

_See you soon._

As it fell, the Red Lion’s core blew up unlashing its remaining quintessence on this part of the universe. The glaring light that ensued blinded everything around it, illuminating the world for the last time. The following silence was the calm before the storm.

Zero tick.

Unfortunately for Haggar, her troops would never be able to bring back the Red Lion. Actually, they would never return to the main headquarter. When it crashed, the warship had caused a major explosion on the small planet that did not withstand the force of it. It triggered a radical chain effects in that everything near enough was set ablaze or utterly destroyed at once. The few survivors were killed when the subsequent wave of energy hurled the last rocks into them at full speed.  

_In another life._

The Red Lion was no more but Keith would return and save them all. And she would once more be at his side.

Forever.

 

 

 

 


	2. Premier Contact

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Not cool”, the midget chided him, fixing him with a long stare. Lance tried not to fidget under the intensity of his eyes even though it was hard, especially when he went on, “He’s not to blame for this, you know.”

Keith was weird.

Mind you he already knew this so it wasn’t _really_ surprising. What disturbed him more was how the Mullet was actively avoiding them despite having no reason to do so. Lance did not want to start pointing fingers at people but Keith was one of the main triggers in this mess – anyone sensible enough would know not to set off bombs and begin a car chase with a governmental agency. It was simply _not_ done!

He scowled and turned his back on the door folding his arms. He’d rather watch his best friend than wait for the Asian’s return anyway - at least Hunk was more pleasing to look at.

Since waking up Hunk and Pidge had been coming up with ways to locate that Voltron thing and he could not stifle the snort that escaped him. No matter how clever those two were, reality and expectations could not be further apart.

Pidge sat on a rocking-chair was screeching, using one of his leg to deter Hunk from coming closer to his computer while the latter’s arms were flailing as he sought to maintain his balance. Even Shiro – so driven and serious -  was amused by their antics, his attempts to stop them undermined by his smile.

Keith was nowhere in sight.

After last night’s events, Lance didn’t expect him to welcome them with open arms however it was getting ridiculous! For all his desire to focus back on the map in front of him, he quickly lost himself in his thoughts once more.

After pulling up Keith hadn’t wasted time and, with the help of Hunk, he had carried Shiro inside his tiny room, laid him down on the dingy bed and covered him up with a duvet prior to joining them back in the main room. Despite everything, he had not explained how and why he had been in the desert; only putting away the few things on the couch. He had fetched them some blankets before grabbing one for himself and striding out of the room.

The atmosphere had been strained with an unsettling silence and as the door had slid close, the three cadets could only share a surprise glance. Pidge who had been the first to shrug it off had decided to call it a night. 

Now it was already past ten and nearly seven hours since Keith had disappeared into thin air. Lance could have understood if Keith had been upset about them barging in but _he_ had been the one to drive them here. Here as in “the middle of the fucking desert”.

This is it, thought Lance, I’m gonna die, all because of some sort of desert hobo.

Lance knew that it was unlikely to happen… Still, he had spent enough time at Tío Javier’s and seen enough of his movies to know what a shack in a remote place meant. Call him foolish all you want but Lance knew what a bad omen looked like. And this shack? Yup. It clearly was the top definition of a bad omen.

It was compact and the living room communicated with the kitchen opening onto the bedroom while the tiny bathroom was hidden by the door at his right. Lance supposed it had been intended for a single person or a couple without children. At that moment, they were cramped for space, though.

Dust seemed to permeate the air and the wooden floor creaked with oldness. The brighter spot next to the duster and washing-up liquid on the wobbly bedside table in the corner conveyed the impression that Keith had tried to revamp this place by scrubbing the floor with all his strength.

The furniture had obviously seen better days and he pointedly looked at the rickety coffee table made of planks and cinder blocks. Nevertheless, it was strikingly neat and tidy, although oddly impersonal. There was no TV set, only gadgetry such as drives, scanners, old printers and so on. The light shining brightly through the cracked windows underlined how bare it was: a desk lamp, a tiny bookcase, the old rocking-chair, an empty blackboard-like wall… even his bed looked more like a cot than anything else!

Granted, Keith was lucky to have this place to go back to, but it didn’t prevent him from wondering why Keith’s family allowed him to live alone.

Out of frustration, he suddenly leaned back, balancing his weight on the rear legs of his chair. Unfortunately, he underestimated his strength and let out a groan when his head hit the wall with a thud. He put his arm over his eyes to block the light. This day could only worsen.

“Are you okay?”, asked Shiro and Lance felt himself blush. Of course, Lance would embarrass himself in front of his idol. So much for being cool.

Okay, perhaps Lance was sulking -not that he would ever admit it – but, come on, nobody could blame him!

It was not every day that you met the man you admired, incidentally the pilot who went missing a year ago before reappearing in the Garrison’s backyard in a crash-landing right out of some of those old Hollywood movies.

Lance wanted to ask him so many questions – about space, his mission, what happened, _Aliens_ – however when he had been about to utter some words, Pidge had interrupted him and had monopolized his attention since then.

Not that he blamed him – Pidge had always been obsessed with the Kerberos mission– nor Shiro. It made sense after all, if Lance had been the one on the run from some Alien dudes he would make sure to keep them far away from Earth. It was just… Even before being accepted in the Garrison, Lance had spent many nights imagining how he would meet the great Takashi Shirogane. Usually his dreams consisted in Lance making a witty pun and Shiro laughing. Instead of that, Shiro’s whole attention had been focused on Pidge and Hunk.

Lance tried to rein in his misplaced bitterness, he was aware that Shiro did not owe him anything. Yet... He had been there as well It would be nice to speak to his hero, that was all…

Squinting an eye open, he put a grin on his face and answered, “Yeah! Just a bit tired!”, and just like that Shiro’s whole attention was back to Pidge and his report on the Gol-rat or whatever they were called.

He slumped against the table and pushed the map away. Rubbing his hand over his face, he stretched his legs. The map had been unearthed when Hunk dug out things to build his Geiger counter and Lance had been trying for hours to narrow down the number of places where a Voltron could be hidden. You would think that a big weapon would be easy to track down.

It wasn’t.

Not so surprisingly, the desert was vast and full of caves. The fact that they had no idea what it looked like was not helping either.

He stifled a yawn as Hunk sat down on a chair.

“It’s crazy, isn’t it?”

“…uh?”, eloquent as always.

“Aliens are real! And bad! Not that it’s a good thing of course, but they’re real anyway! Why am I not running away screaming my head off?!”

He chuckled nudging him playfully with his elbow, “That’s wild, buddy! I’m so proud!”

“Thanks! How’s it going on your side?”

 “Not so well”, he groaned, “I ruled out the areas used by the Garrison and the city but there’s still so much land that I don’t know where to begin!”

“According to the guys out there, Voltron is huge. Since nobody has heard of it it’s surely buried somewhere”, cut in Pidge.

“Yeah, that’s why I didn’t take into account this part”, he drew a red circle on the map – that was so cliché – and carried on, “There was a construction site right there four years ago and they had to check the ground before getting the building permit.”

“Nice, Lance!”, commented Shiro at the same time Pidge chirped “How do you know that?”.

“It’s nothing”, he flushed before adopting a flirty expression, “Oh you know this waitress last year was really into environmental activism and long story short the site belonged to a big company.”

“I don’t know whether I should be impressed or not. Iverson’d have a heart-stroke if you’d put so much effort in the sim!”

“What’s it supposed to mean, Pidge?! I’ll let you know that my flying is flawless and she was nice!”

Pidge’s unimpressed stare was his sole response while Hunk had to cough to hide his snicker. Shiro was looking at them with the corners of his mouth tilted upwards.

“And what about your machine?”, he asked steering smoothly the conversation to another topic. His true intentions were nonetheless crystal clear and a smug smile sat on Pidge’s lips.

“Everything’s fine! Pidge wants to chip in later but it’s fit for use!”

“You, big guy, are a genius!”

“Thanks, Lance! Now we can track down the emission spectre of this new element. It doesn’t exist on Earth so it should be easy to find Voltron! It’s only a matter of time!” excitedly exclaimed Hunk.

“Woah calm down, we still don’t know where to start”, Lance chuckled.

Shiro had tuned them out, contemplating the map, he took it up after a while and stuck it on the board. He took a step back and kept looking at it as if it were about to confide in him the universe’s deepest secret. Letting Pidge and Hunk bicker about what could be improved, he walked up to Shiro and stood silently at his side.

“You’re right”, he said quietly as his brows furrowed into a deep frown, “this place is too big and we’re not enough. We can’t inspect every place, especially since time is against us.”

“Maybe if we split and-”

“Too dangerous”, Shiro interrupted him, “What’s more there’s only one detector so it cuts down our options.”

Lance swallowed thickly and tried to bury his sentiment of shame at having failed. It wasn’t his fault. It was impossible to find Voltron with so little information. A map wasn’t sufficient! As he fought back the feeling of inadequacy stirring up in the pit of his stomach, he couldn’t quell his irritation, resentment and even fury.

Keith had dragged them into the middle of nowhere and when they needed his help to find a weapon of mass destruction hidden in the very desert he lived in and knew like the back of his hand, he left.

Sure, there were more important things than protecting Earth against bloodthirsty Aliens! No big deal, Lance could perfectly understand.

As if sensing his thoughts, Shiro spoke “Do you know when Keith comes back? He surely has some inputs...”

Lance’s lips tightened, pursing together and forming a thin line across his features that Shiro did not notice, “he just disappeared without saying anything and even with my memories so muddled, I know that it’s not like him. What happened during my absence?”, he suddenly turned to eye Lance hesitantly.

Even so far away from the Garrison, Lance lived in Keith’s shadow. Never mind the fact that the latter left them alone without any means to contact anyone since their phones were either lost or broken. Not that they could have called someone in any case, so far in the desert having a signal was out of the question and even Pidge had trouble listening to his “radio”. Never mind the fact that Keith left them only with a busted motorbike to go back to the city.

Forget about frustration, Lance was pissed.

“He was kicked out few months after your disappearance.”

Not waiting to see Shiro’s reaction – a muted “oh” - he spun around to see what the two geniuses were doing and quickly sat next to Hunk on the floor giving a wide berth to the couch. After sleeping on it, Lance knew what torture felt like.

Hunk watched him from the corner of his eye and as soon as Pidge was too busy to listen to them he asked if everything was alright.

“Don’t worry, it’s nothing.”

“Ooh-kay”, he drawled out before whispering back, “just no, Lance.”

“What? I’ve done nothing!”

“Yet. Look, Lance, I know you and, right now, it’s you being fed up to the back teeth. Do you remember what happened last time you had this face? Three-week detention that’s what happened. So, I’m stopping you before you do something you’ll regret.”

His expression softened as he gazed at Hunk, and as he pulled his features into a practised offended expression he cried out, “Hey! You totally know that I did nothing wrong! If stupid Casey ha-”

“Ah ah! I’m stopping you, buddy. We’ve already had this conversation, like, a billion times and I know what you did,” he said with a pointed stare, moving his index from right to left and left to right to emphasize his point.

Was Hunk doubting him? His honour was at stake! Placing his hand over his heart while flinging his other arm up in the air, he shouted “What?! No! I don’t lie! Hunk, my man! How could you? That’s betrayal!”

A laugh surprised them and they quickly turned around to see Pidge and Shiro looking at them, one of their brows raised and smiling, or in the younger’s case smirking. Lance felt his face heat up at the sudden attention. He cleared his throat while Hunk let out a laugh of his own.

At least Shiro was no longer caught up in his worry.

Before Lance could dwell on it, Keith entered the room, his arms full of canned food and drinks, effectively breaking the friendly atmosphere.

 

* * *

 

Lance was no stranger to sneers and scowls. Nonetheless, at that moment, he did not know what felt worse – being mocked or being ignored.

Not content with having hijacked his rescue mission - nearly killing them in the process he might add -  Keith had been avoiding any eye-contact since his return, preferring to gaze down at the floor than to look at them.

Had he mentioned that Keith was weird? Clearly, being in the same room as them was an ordeal.

During the last few minutes, they had all gathered around the coffee table which was situated between the front door and the table. In short, Keith would have to come closer - not that it was a spacious room to begin with - in order to lay down the food he brought back.

Keith carefully shifted his weight and move off of the threshold, casting a quick glance at them to make sure not to bump into them. As if sensing their looks, Keith’s face twitched into a frown and his body tensed up. He was eerily light on his feet, moving with a subtle strength one did not expect considering his thin frame, the silence only broken by Hunk clearing his throat.

Throughout the years at the Garrison, Keith had built a reputation of not liking a lot of things – namely speaking, Iverson, rules, gummies and so on – but Shiro was supposed to be his friend and Keith was behaving like they were a chore!

No, Lance wasn’t petty nor resentful. He was just so fed up with this constipated face! That was just plain rude and Lance wished his Mama could have been here to see how _Lance_ was a model child no matter what she said.

Straightening up to give him a piece of his mind, he was unfortunately stopped by Pidge’s jab in his stomach. At his side Hunk snorted while Shiro’s brows furrowed even more.

“Keith?”, he asked softly like Keith was a wild animal he was trying to understand without scaring it off, “Where did you find this?”

The latter didn’t respond and merely waved his hand in the air after having dropped his loot.

“There’s water in the fridge over there.”

“Thanks!” said Hunk who came up to his side, browsing over what was available. They last ate at the Garrison and they were starving.

“You’re not eating with us?” pointed out Pidge to the already retreating form.

Keith withdrew further back only mumbling a raspy “I already ate on the way back” before huddling up in the rocking-chair, his foot loosely wrapped around the armrest.

As they ate silently, they pretended they didn’t notice Keith’s eyes following their movements. Lance muffled a hiss of pain when Pidge kicked his knee under the table, pointedly staring at him with his head tilted towards Shiro who kept peeking at Keith, a perplexed expression marring his face. Even Hunk didn’t know what was happening and simply shrugged when Lance turned to him.

“What are you going to do?”

Lance bristled while Pidge and Hunk shared a glance before purposely looking away, waiting for Shiro’s answer. Straightening his back, Shiro took a step forward before coming to a stop when the dropout flinched back.

“We’re going to look for Voltron. Hunk and Pidge built a machine to track it down and Lance helped narrow down the perimeter of our research… You may help if you want.”

Despite his firm tone, everyone heard the question hidden in his last statement, detected the veiled concern he tried to conceal as if afraid to slight the former cadet.

Maybe that was true. After being left alone for so many months, Keith had become this sort of untamed animal shying away from human contact and assessing everything and everyone, ready to pounce anytime.

Lance nipped in the bud his rising concern for the other. It was Keith and he wouldn’t feel sorry for him. Never. And especially not after this morning.

Shiro’s face closed off which made sense as his only response from Keith was a mere shrug. Hunk was buzzing with anxious energy as Pidge tried to calm him down by drawing his attention to something regarding his machine.

“Are you sure?... You- You could go back to the Garrison? Obviously not you Shiro, but the others… maybe…”, Keith's voice seemed to dwindle, fading until becoming a whisper at the end of his speech whilst the shack was taken over by a dumbfounded silence.

He felt a surge of anger at Keith, so distant and seemingly more disturbed by their presence than anything else. Secretive Keith who helped them yesterday only to abandon them; so unruffled and unbothered by the mess that was now their lives that he dared to make this prosperous offer.

The Garrison would never take them back, not after the bombs, Shiro and having lost face during a car chase with a dropout. They already came to this conclusion during his absence. Lance's stomach churned at the thought of his family and he tried to put them out of his mind. Was this guy for real?!

“And how?” he gritted his teeth, not caring that Shiro had been about to talk.

He was stressed and angry, mostly at himself for being in this situation instead of studying in his room like he should have been, but also at Keith for being so _so him_!

“How should we do this, uh?!”

How dare he suggest this when Pidge, Hunk and he could never go back to school because of him? Keith's own future was already in a shambles, he didn’t have the right to blow up theirs!

Hunk was holding Lance's right arm, trying to soothe his nerves and being the calming anchor he needed so badly as Pidge looked at him guiltily. It’s not your fault he wanted to say, and rationally the Cuban was aware that Keith was not responsible either but why was he the only one losing his cool? Was he pathetic if he worried about his family’s reaction when the Garrison would call them (if it wasn’t already done)?

Shiro moved to stand between Keith and him to defuse the tense atmosphere however Lance would not let him. Letting it go would mean he had to face the fact that he was a disappointment for his family.

“I-I don’t know… Maybe if-”

“That’s a surprise!”

“Lance, stop”, Hunk stepped in.

Shiro put a hand on Lance's chest and blocked his path to Keith as if the latter needed to be protected from Lance. At that moment, Keith looked more like a frightened animal than the star child he had been at the Garrison. His eyes kept shifting from side to side, never lingering on one thing as he curled further up into the side of the rocking chair. He extended his right arm presenting his inner wrist before coming to a jerky stop midway. He quickly drew his outstretched arm back and made himself look smaller. Lance would not stop, he needed to vent off and for that reason he did not let him speak.

“I’m starting to believe that you never think things through.”

“That’s not true!”, Keith suddenly looked up.

“Could’ve fool me!”

“You don’t understand!”, Keith cried out.

“More than you at least!”, he huffed and Keith was left gaping, not knowing what to say because, well, it was true. He was once again avoiding their eyes.

“Look at me!”, he shouted out of frustration.

The fingers playing with a hole in his sleeve came to a halt and Keith flinches back as if slapped. Okay, Lance might be a bit of an asshole but Keith was so infuriating… His stricken expression was enough to make the cadet regret his outburst.

“Enough! We don’t have time for this!”, Shiro thundered and Hunk tightened his hold on his friend's arm before letting it go “Calm down, man, it doesn’t sound like you.”

“Y-yeah… sorry”, and this time he did not look back at Keith, preferring to shuffle back away from him. Once next to Pidge, he leaned back against the wall and put his hands in his pockets.

“Not cool”, the midget chided him, fixing him with a long stare. Lance tried not to fidget under the intensity of his eyes even though it was hard, especially when he went on, “He’s not to blame for this, you know.”

He was deflated when he saw the piercing look on his friend’s face. He knew this but they had worked _so hard_ and Keith had always had this effect on him, riling him up without doing anything. Somehow, it was worse now and he did not know why.

“Even so, I understand you. Something isn’t clear.”

Pidge’s gaze was fixed intently on the Asian’s face, a frown on his lips. Sandwiched between Shiro and Hunk, Keith looked even more uncomfortable than earlier.

Lance looked down at him so quickly that his neck cracked, “Ho-What do you mean? You too?”.

“Shush!”

“But Piiiiidge”, he whined.

“It…It’s just his stare.”

“What? He’s been avoiding looking at us!”

“Exactly. Not looking at us doesn’t mean _I_ can’t”, he tapped under his left eye and added, “His eyes… I couldn’t see them last night and I don’t know how to explain it yet… when you started talking to him they became unfocused. You were right in front of him and it was as if he weren’t seeing you. That’s strange. And I don’t mention how… hollow they are. Something is wrong, Lance.”

Pidge turned to him, “Shiro won’t back down and I don’t think Hunk will want to leave him alone. Lance, answer me honestly. Can we trust him?”

Keith was a lone wolf. He was also the sole reason behind their successful escape from angry soldiers. People had surely been hurt during their escapade. He gave them the couch and bed. A prodigy who built bombs from scratch. A companionless boy who brought them food.

“I don’t know”, was all he could say because Keith was a paradox giving him a headache.

Pidge merely sighed, adjusted his glasses, dusted his shirt down and nodded as he took a step towards the others, “Well, in that case, we better keep an eye on him.”

 

* * *

 

It had been ten minutes since Lance had left them alone in order to join Pidge at the back of the shack, ten minutes since Keith had clammed up and refused to listen to Shiro’s attempts to convince him to go with them.

The process left him oddly puzzled in that Keith appeared to be genuinely concerned when Hunk explained why they couldn’t go back.

Hunk felt pretty pleased with himself if he was honest. His anxiety did not get the better of him and Keith was somewhat… not mollified but certainly calmer which was a relief since they needed him to cross the desert. Obviously, they could go alone but having a guide would increase their chances of success. After last night, he was inclined not to miss the opportunity.

Wait a minute, he thought as he peeked at the smaller boy, he’s the one who drove us to the Cliff of the End…

Suddenly, having a guide was much less appealing.

However.

Hunk recalled Keith. He had not had many classes with him – being a mechanic and the other a fighter pilot – but he had seen him from time to time in the corridors. Keith had been silent, somewhat morose which did not differ from today. Hunk had been surprised the first time he had seen him at the Garrison. At that time, Lance was not his self-proclaimed rival and Hunk had only heard of him through stories about “that skilled boy”. In retrospect, it was funny how Keith had become the subject of much local gossip in such a short time.

Keith had been a sight to behold, managing to stand out even in a crowd. Lance had joked about it being the result of being “an edgy edgelord”. Hunk was still not sure whether it made sense.

As for himself, he believed that Keith’s drive was just plainly intimidating. Keith was made for the stars and it was visible even out of the simulators. His focus was unbreakable and even fear seemed to be a foreign concept when he was piloting.

It was as frightening as dangerous.

That Keith was not the one in front of him. The former cadet had been distant but never had he moved out of someone’s reach in order to avoid being touched, especially if that someone was Shiro. Keith had stood up so suddenly that Hunk had grabbed his shoulder to help him catch his balance. It had been a bad idea and even if Keith did not react violently, Hunk had still felt the muscles grew stiff under his hand. Nevertheless, what surprised him the most was the burning feeling he got when he had touched Keith. Even through two layers of clothes, Keith’s temperature was too hot to be considered normal.

It might have been the result of spending the night outdoors he mused.

Shiro had looked baffled and a little hurt even though he tried to cover it. They had been close before his departure and Hunk inferred that he thought that Keith would treat him differently. Apparently being imprisoned by Aliens changed things…

Right. Aliens. Hunk kept forgetting about them because, well, Aliens!

He was torn between feeling excited – because let’s be honest, it was a huge discovery and could lead to scientific breakthrough – and very much scared – because, hey, apparently the Aliens movies were no longer fictions and were about to become their new reality.

He could already feel the uneasy feeling at the bottom of his stomach. He was going to throw up.

Hunk was just so no prepared for this that it wasn’t even funny.

Back to more important things, though – he refused to imagine his potential (very likely) future death - Keith had changed throughout the year.

He did not look bad per say just… leaner, paler, feverish and the skin under his eyes blackened by exhaustion. Few white locks were now among his unruly black hair and despite the heat he wore a black long-sleeved turtleneck under his red jacket. Hunk wondered how he managed to breath.

Hunk actually worried about his health and his diet. Yesterday, there was no food in the shack. Was he eating correctly? Or at all? This raised so many warning bells inside his mind.

“We can’t stay here, Keith. The Aliens are coming and even if they weren’t a threat, there’s still the Garrison. It won’t take them much longer before they find this place. The sooner we left, the better!”, he heard Shiro say as his eyes were drawn to the movements of Lance and Pidge getting closer.

While Pidge’s eyes were dark, Lance appeared to be more relaxed, even winking at him. Hunk’s rolled his eyes and went back to the conversation an-

The object of his musing turned and made eye contact with him. His own eyes widened and a deep shiver coursed its way down his spin as Keith’s eerie eyes pierced him, collecting and storing away what he saw. Hunk had the disturbing impression that the other was analysing every single one of his flaws, categorising his weaknesses and weighing the pros and cons before he came to a resolution.

He let himself breath again when Keith was shaken out of his torpor by Shiro’s firm tone, “Keith, we have to go! You don’t have to come if you don’t want but… it’s not safe, here. The Garrison won’t leave you in peace.”

“Plus, we have to find Voltron! You can help a lot, Keith!” he chimed in.

If Keith looked struck at the idea of being left behind, Hunk’s comment was even worse. For a moment he looked torn and his stare hidden by his hair shifted from one person to another, lingering on Pidge’s and Hunk’s face.

Keith spun around and gazed outdoor while tugging at his hair. He took a deep breath, mumbled something Hunk did not catch and focused back on the board – not only on the map still hanging on but also on the results Hunk had added. He looked at them one last time, his shoulders sagging, made up his mind and walked towards the bedroom.

Quickly, so fast that he did not understand right away, he laid down on the floor and crawled under the bed. It was the largest piece of furniture in the tiny room so he wriggled and stretched out his arm to grab what he was looking for. He came back with a shoe box and put it on the table, far away from him.

Pidge’s surprised gasp when he opened it was enough to arouse their curiosity and they stepped forward, “It looks like-”

Behind them, Keith looked like he was seeing a ghost.

 

* * *

 

Note to himself: walking across a desert was not fun. At all.

Small beads of sweat broke out on his brow and he wiped it away.

At the head of their group, Shiro carefully carried Pidge’s backpack as instructed by the shorter boy who dogged his every step keeping a close eye on the man. It was quite funny to see Pidge trotting briskly to keep up with Shiro’s long strides, though. Nonetheless, he wondered if it was wise in the long run as Pidge was already breathing hard. No one had told him to stop so Hunk guessed it was safe…

Coaxing Keith had been smart and Hunk would not budge on it regardless of Lance’s moans. Had he been not there, Hunk was sure they would have already been going in circles.

And died his mind supplied. Unfortunately, Hunk did know what getting lost in a desert implied. Therefore, Mission Bringing Keith was a success and Hunk could only pat himself on the back.

Just like him, Lance was somewhat spared by the heat – having spent the major part of his life in Cuba – and took full advantage of it to tease Pidge, poking him in the ribs and rambling on and on. It went without saying that a disaster was brewing, Pidge’s already short temper was even worse under the burning sun and anyone could see his patience running thin.

Anyone except Lance. Three.

Two.

One. Lance crumbled down on the ground, groaning like a dying whale after being kicked.

Hunk muffled his snicker behind his hand and went to help his best friend when he was stopped.

“You’re not taking it seriously, aren’t you.”

Was it a question? It didn’t sound like a question. Was Keith expecting an answer? Should he answer? If it wasn’t a question…

“Maybe you should call your parents and see what can be done with the Garrison.”

Oh.

Okay.

Keith wasn’t really convinced. That made sense. Hunk was not dumb enough to think that it would be so easy.

Still, Hunk’s knowledge about Keith was limited at best hence his hesitance. He did not know what was Keith hoping for nor what could he say to appease him when not even Shiro’s explanation worked.

“What’s up with you anyway?”, said Lance in his stead which was for the better since Hunk's only desire was to run away from this discussion – and preferably this mess. “Okay, I admit it’s super freaky but you also saw the pod yesterday! What’s so difficult to accept?!”

Actually, perhaps he should intervene.

“It’s not that”, Keith peeked at Lance still on the ground. Shiro cast them a brief look but kept on pushing his way through the sand hills. His friend carried on as they trailed along.

“What then? Baby Keith is scared?”

“Lance, stop”, he chided gently not wanting a reboot from earlier.

“…You’re so…you.”, there was an element of awe in his statement.

“Is it supposed to be an insult? ‘Cause I like who I am and I won’t change, especially not for you, you-”

“Lance, stop, he wasn’t asking you to change, right Keith?”, he soothed while pointedly gazing at the latter. He continued with a small smile when the other quickly shook his head, “Don’t worry about that, Keith. Speaking frankly, I’m not looking forward any call from my family! They’re certainly informed by now and I don’t know for you Lance but I’m not in a hurry to face my mom!”

Lance’s budding laughter ended up in a squeak, “ _Dios mío_ , there will be hell to pay!”

Keith’s body was tense and agitated as if prepared to break into a sprint, his hands fiddling with his sleeves and his lip worried by his teeth. He clearly wanted to press on but something within him seemed to prevent him from speaking up, leaving him mute.

His worries were far from abated so Hunk added, “You know, what they were doing back then… It wasn’t right. I don’t know what is up with those aliens nor what Voltron is but I believe you did the right thing. I may be scared and worried but… I’d do it again. Shiro didn’t deserve it. The Garrison isn’t always right and my family will understand.”

And if it put Lance’s mind at rest as well then he would not say anything.

They walked in silence after that.

 

* * *

 

Pidge was not stupid. That was a fact and everyone and their mother knew it.

It was no wonder therefore that she knew that Keith’s secrets were linked with the cave they were in. Keith had told them he came here months ago during an excursion. Evidently she did not believe it for he was too familiar with the route and the place. One trip among others was not enough to know the terrain by heart.

Once out of the desert, the expedition had taken them through harsh rocky lands. Regardless of the uneven ground, Keith had never faltered exploiting subtle changes to gain 6momentum and walk faster. Even now, he paid no attention to the slippery grounds whereas they laid their hands on the walls to steady their balance. At one time, Lance fell forward only managing to find his footing just in time and regained his balance by steadying himself up against Hunk.

Keith was said to be skilled and an instinctive pilot. Nonetheless, instinct alone did not tell you where to set your feet nor which holds to grip in order to heave yourself up.

The entrance of the cave was a hole carved in the rock about fifteen feet above their head and as such they had had to resort to climbing. Pidge had placed her hands gingerly upon the rough holds and took her time to locate the proper foot placement before commencing with her climb whereas Keith had swung himself up without a second glance.

Obviously he had tried to keep his knowledge for himself but she had not been fooled. She had noticed how firmly apart his feet were and how he would peek at them before dropping a foot.

Hunk had been beside himself with worry at first while Shiro and Lance had kept telling him to slow down. In the end nobody had been hurt.

That was the first hints.

Another clue was his face.

If hiding her identity had taught her one thing it was that body language was quite relevant when trying to understand someone. Strangely enough, Keith’s behaviour was disparate, going from indifference to anxiety in ten seconds. He sent contradictory signals that added to his secrets left her feeling wary of him.

Right now, he was pinching the lobe of his left ear and little noises kept escaping his lips. The fingers of his free hand were tapping against each other following a specific pattern. These small quirks betrayed him and his agitation.

From the very start, Keith had known where they were heading to, knew that the lion carvings would attract Hunk’s machine. He had not lied per se but it did not prevent a scowl from darkening her face.

Keith willingly tried to keep them from Voltron.

Everyone was entitled to have secrets, she was the perfect example. The problem was that Keith held crucial information back, information leading to her family. She closed her fist tightly as she followed silently the others. Pidge was a woman on a mission and she did not like being delayed.

Why would he do this?

Out of fear? If last night’s jump down the cliff was any indication, Keith did not easily back down so it was not this.

Earlier, Hunk had inferred that he might be concerned about their futures. Once again, why? He did not know them and thus had no reason to worry. No, it was something else.

Maybe he wanted to keep Voltron for himself, even though it would be stupid with the aliens looking for it. One person against a bloodthirsty army? Yeah, right.

What was more, the further they went in, the more sombre his expression became. He clearly did not want to be here which made no sense if he were to covet Voltron.

Keith knew where Voltron was but did not want to be near it. In spite of his reluctance, he was still with them… Was he monitoring them?

Perhaps Voltron was so powerful that he feared what they would with it if left unsupervised… Even if it was true, Keith was not much older than her though and he was younger than Shiro. Plus, he _did_ know Shiro so…

Still, she could not think of anything else. Was he guarding it then? Keeping people at bay to protect it? People or… Aliens, she thought.

She squinted at his back trying to see through him. Contrary to Hunk and Lance, he had not been shocked by Shiro’s tale. Had he come to the same conclusion on his own? As far as she was concerned he had been aware of the existence of the Alien weapon all along.

Yet the question remained unanswered. What was the link between Keith and Voltron?

Pidge respected Keith’s need to have secrets. It didn’t mean that she did not plan to unveil them, though. She would do anything to find what he was hiding.

Lance had shown that Keith’s walls were not impenetrable after all.

 

* * *

 

“This is – This is Voltron?”

The tunnel they were in came down ten minutes ago and as the floor opened up under their feet like some weird mythological shit they all tumbled down to another cave, much bigger than the previous one. Her knees hurt but no one had been knocked unconscious so they were lucky.

“It must be”, answered Shiro who straightened from his crouching position, staring in amazement at the huge robot and the crazy energy shielding it from the rest of the world.

“Does anyone else has the feeling that it’s staring at them? Yeah, the eyes are totally following me”, Lance thought out loud and skipped forward followed by a cautious Hunk.

Her fingers itched to touch the crazy energy and she desperately wanted to inspect it, to lay bare its secrets and finally find something that would throw light on her family’s whereabouts.

Voltron was the first step in their rescue.

Matt. Dad. I’ll bring you back.

“Maybe you just have to knock”, Lance told to Shiro before shattering the shield doing exactly what he said.

When the images finally cleared, Pidge wondered where the rest of Voltron was. Hunk erupted into cheers, Lance dashed in without waiting and she was on the verge of following him when she realized that Keith was still behind her. She spun around and lost her tongue before being able to tell him to hurry up like she planned to do.

Keith’s usually expressionless face was turned into a scowl and he was openly glaring at the lion robot – the blue leg of Voltron, right? – his lips pulled back to bare his teeth. What the heck? Was he really trying to antagonise a sentient warship?

The cave was dimly lit by the robot and in the darkness his eyes seemed to glower. She had never seen eyes like that before, the strange hue and intensity was curiously similar to the lion’s. Weren’t his eyes grey?

He tensed up when he saw her watching and strode in the direction of the open mouth with his head held high. He was walking past her when Lance’s head popped around the entrance and beckoned them, “I think it’s talking to me! There’s an Alien ship on the way here, I think we’re supposed to stop it so hurry up!”

They got in the ship without further ado.

At first, everything was alright, albeit a bit brutal. Pidge was the first to say that Lance’s skills were rough around the edges – she had bruises from the sim - but the auto-pilot of the Alien ship was even worse! She didn’t think it was _possible_ however life had a knack for proving her wrong.

Hunk’s remarks would be funny if she was not too busy swearing at the top of her lungs. Shiro was the only one who managed to bear it (almost) stoically, only gritting his teeth. Matt had not lied; Shiro _was_ inhuman.

As for Keith… She had no word to describe how stupid he was being. Since entering the cockpit, he had refused to hold on anything and nearly bashed his head. Twice.

It was even more dangerous now what with the Galra's appearance. Lance was doing his best to evade them and as a consequence they kept being thrust from one side to another. They did not have time for Keith's petty stubbornness.

 “Okay! I’ll try this!”, exclaimed Lance as he fired off a laser beam.

She hissed and took his gloved hand pulling hard on it. She did not care what he thought and dragged him down at her side while she tightened her own hold on Lance. Taken by surprise, he almost tripped over his feet and had to brace himself against her to steady his balance. Her eyes darted back towards what was happening outside and for that reason she did not notice Keith’s stunned expression nor the wonder in his eyes when they fell on her hand still clasping his tightly.

 “What is that?”, Hunk pointed at a wormhole with a panicky voice.

“The lion wants to go through there”, Lance hesitated.

“Where does it go?”

The Aliens were still chasing them and it was their only getaway. The decision was already made.

“I don’t know… Shiro, what do we do?”, Lance looked uncertain, not knowing what to do, fearing what it would imply.

“We’re a team now, we should decide together”, answered Shiro with a confidence that no one possessed.

“Alright, I guess we’re all ditching class tomorrow!”

They disappeared as the wormhole closed in on itself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So. I'm back? I'll continue it because why not?  
> Thanks for your kudos, subscriptions and bookmarks! You guys are so nice!  
> At first Allura and Coran were supposed to be in the chapter but... it was already too long sooo. Next time!
> 
> About updates... Let's be real: I'm already dying with life, uni and work but I'll try to post every two weeks? Three at most (I think)!  
> English not being my first language don't hesitate to review and tell me if I made mistakes or if you like it (like, it'd be so nice!)  
> I want to make it as pleasant as possible sooo...
> 
> See you soon and once again : comment or leave kudo if you like it :)
> 
> "The valley was filled with tears" is taken from a poem written by Langston Hughes, the exact line is "Sometimes, the valley was filled with tears".  
> "Big Crunch" refers to a scientific theory about the fate of the universe. To put it simply, it's the opposite of the Big Bang in that according to this scenario the universe would collapse and (possibly) start once more from scratch.  
> "Premier contact" because well... It's their first adventure together as well as their first meeting with the Galra... Everything is new right now!
> 
> Finally, some part of the dialogues are taken from the series because I've no shame and I want to stay as close to their character as possible!


	3. Orée (part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I will find you a home, build you a place to belong to so that you will never be forced to be alone ever again. We would bring peace, you, me and what remains of the Empire”, he had whispered as his hair shone in the dying light, creating a shimmering halo around his head and shoulders. Surely it meant something?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Update every two weeks", she said, "Three if life gets hard", she said. Oopsie? Sorry? I'll try to update more often!
> 
> Now about the kudos, comments and bookmarks... You guys are so nice! :O  
> Special thanks to the wonderful reviewers: not lying, you're the ones who kicked my behind and make me update before the end of the year! xD  
> Good news : the next part should be posted by next week!

1394 days left until Red’s rupture – Roughly 46 months. 

_“What was that?!” Lance boomed out as he entered Black’s hangar, the others at his heels, “Were you even thinking?!”_

_“Wh-”, next thing he knew the Red Paladin was yanking on his arm and he was hauled forward his face now inches away from Lance’s who did not give him time to respond before he spat, “I told you not to do this, you asshole! Why can’t you stop tracking him?! It’s turning into an obsession!”_

_“What’s your problem?! Lotor was there!”, he shoved him back and the Cuban’s face usually so open and at ease was now marred by an ugly expression born from anger and worry.“I did what I had to do!”_

_“Really” there was a hint of accusation in Pidge’s dry contribution and he felt his heart go heavy at it. You failed them, a malicious voice whispered in his mind and he swallowed the lump that had gathered in his throat._

_“Yes!”, he looked around quickly, trying to find a friendly face among his team. Allura. Where was she? And where was Coran for that matter? He tucked Black’s helmet under his arm noticing that the others were still in their suits except for Shiro who wore his usual clothes as he was no longer required to suit up – being a surrogate advisor and all._

_“Oh! You finally notice! Better late than never, huh?!”, Lance scathingly said as he crossed his arms against his chest, letting out a forced laugh devoid of humour, “Are you joking with me? I thought we were over this but I guess I expected too much of you. My bad.”_

_“Lance?”, he felt his throat constrict in his chest and reached out one of his hands but the other’s stormy glare stopped him, “What happened? Is Allura okay?”._

_“We were separated during the chase. Allura… she was cornered by two generals of Lotor. We managed to get her out but she’s in a healing pod now…Coran… Coran’s scared, Keith. Like, really_ really _scared.”, Hunk looked at him with a sombre expression as he frantically wiped his bloody hands on his suit._

_“Oh.” He was just not cut out to be a leader, wasn’t he? ‘Never good enough’ kept repeating inside his head like a cruel snake slithering around._

_“That’s it?! A simple ‘oh’? That’s our worth according to you?!” The Red Paladin screamed, his hands flying up in the air. “You should have been there, you big genius! What did you have to break our formation?” He ran a hand through his unkempt hair and his smile was tinged with bitterness. “Why am I even asking when I already know the answer?”_

_Surrounded by frowning and scowling faces everything blurred and all of a sudden he was back to a time when he would be stared at by judging eyes. He tried to find comfort in Shiro but it was useless as even he had a pinched expression. He felt cornered and so decided to react the only way he knew._

_“Lotor was there! What was I supposed to do? Let him escape?!”, he lashed out as cold sweat was forming down his spine. He did not ask to be the leader! Why did they expect from him?!_

_It was a rhetorical question but it did not prevent Lance from answering a loud “Yes!” nor the others from sighing in exasperation._

_“Are you serious? When we catch him, it’ll be a boon to the team! To the coalition!”, he was heaving, “He’s the prince of the Empire, he’s bound to have key information on the Galra! Information that will help our cause! We can’t stop for the sake of one person! The Universe counts on us! Did you forget that you have a duty to fulfil?!”_

_In retrospect, it was astonishing that Lance had managed to stay put for so long without trying to deck him so when he made a dash for his face with his fist raised in the air Keith was not surprised. He blocked the paladin's hand with his own forearm yet Lance did not back down and their noses were almost touching, “Don’t you dare! Don’t speak as if we don’t know what sacrifices are! I’ve already given enough! What more do you want?!”_

_“It’s our duty! You may not like it,_ I _don’t like it but it’s what we have to do! The mission is more important than us!”_

_“Are you really thinking that?” asked Hunk looking shocked and disappointed as Lance screeched, “And what of Allura?! That’s okay?!”_

_“That’s not what I meant!”, Keith tried to defend himself but it was useless now. Their voices were raised yet everything fell on deaf ears._

_“No, that’s exactly what you meant! What’s wrong with you?! How could you be so heartless?!”_

_“I know how to put my feelings aside unlike some of us that’s all!”_

_“Are you sure of that?” And just like that Keith slackened his hold on Lance’s arm, too startled by Shiro’s rebuke. Since their arrival, Shiro had not said anything and Keith was (not so secretly) grateful for it. Nothing was worse than disappointing Shiro and up till now Keith had managed to delude himself into believing that his silence was a tacit support. Apparently it was not and he did not protest when Hunk led Lance away from him._

_“S-Shiro?”_

_“What you did was reckless and to be frank unworthy of a leader. You didn’t think about the consequences. Your quest for finding Lotor is blinding you to our true purpose. You made an error and Allura is paying the price. It was rash and even though duty is important it shouldn’t be at the expense of the team.”_

_“I know this! I was chasing him, I…I was…I didn’t realize it was so bad…”, even to his own ears the excuse sounded unconvincing and he winced._

_“That’s the problem, Keith. You didn’t think about the other paladins and that’s not a leader’s behaviour.”_

_He stayed still, not knowing what to do nor to say. That wasn’t true. He had thought about them. Just… Allura was doing better with Blue and Lance knew how to react when things get too hazardous, how to respond when_ Keith _get out of control. Keith trusted them and generally Lance used the transmission link to warn him when things went south. Except that Lotor was known for his tricks and blocking their communication. Foolish boy supplied the voice that sounded more and more like his third foster faster._

_Neat._

_“I know you could do better”, softly added Shiro as if to qualify his lecture. It did not help. At all._

_Pidge who had tuned them out to focus on her tablet finally looked up with a dark expression on her face and her lips pinched together. “According to my assessment, Blue will be inoperative for some time. There’s so much damage… They really hit us hard. That new cannon is quite deadly… Well!” she turned it off and let her gaze drifted past the others before stopping on Keith. “Voltron won’t take part in any activity for a moment. Keith. Set your priorities right.”_

_His temper flared up once more and the anger that had abated during Shiro’s speech now rushed through his veins. It was just like before._

_“I made an error, okay! But why don’t you understand that Lotor is planning something-”_

_“Like Haggar, her druids, Zarkon, his generals and so many others that we don’t know of! Lotor isn’t everything! Your point?!”, Lance rubbed a hand across his eyes, “And now we can’t even stop them! Jeez, Keith! Next time think before acting!”_

_“What Lance is trying to say is that what you’re doing isn’t safe Keith. Not for you and not for us.”_

_“Hunk is right”, Shiro stepped forward and squeezed tightly Keith’s shoulder, “The team is suffering from your obsession.”_

_“Plus, we don’t know if Lotor is that big of a deal. It’s been phoebes since we last heard of him on the Glaran radio. Chances are that our chase was pointless.”_

_“See!”, Lance looked almost triumphant at Pidge’s statement._

_“What could have I done? The mission- What is more important than having the upper hand on Zarkon? Lotor is the key!”_

_“And how can you be so sure? What evidence do you have? We’re not tools you can dispose of, Keith!”, he flinched at her words and Shiro’s hand tightened, the grip turning into a forceful hold._

_“I know this!”_

_“Do you? Truly?”, Lance turned his back on Keith as he spoke with finality before crossing the room in a couple of strides, quickly followed by the others. “Allura doesn’t deserve this. Blue either. Keep that in mind before you gamble our lives away again.”_

_He was left alone._

* * *

As far as she could remember Altea had always been this majestic and untouchable entity. Admired by every breathing creature that was aware of how vast the universe was and cherished by its inhabitants, Altea was one of the greater planet, so prosperous that the native people had been chosen as diplomats in countless summits.

“A sight to behold” was a phrase often used to describe her home and she could only agree with this statement. When she thought back about it, her childhood had mostly consisted in galas, processions and other merriment. Actually, she could not remember a day when the palace had not been filled with colours and foreign visitors willing to partake in the festivities such as the Eltris festivals in honour of four of the five founders of Altea. The most popular being the racing festivals organized for Manadil and his brother Marah, well-known travellers who opened the door of the universe to Altea  thanks to their experience, sheer luck during gambles and a network so big that nobody could not have _not_ heard of Altea after they had put their mind in it.

Unlike them, Kali and Covielte had been more discrete but all the more essential, the former who had designed the structure of the entire planet and allowed it to become the hub that it was today and the latter who had her own statue erected in front of every school what with her intellect, cunning and her being part of the Albeiatrist priestesses, a clan who swore to protect the lands and spread the words of Gram Kholtery, the first Altean to explore every inch of the planet and map it.

To put it simply, Altea was a flourishing mercantile planet so peaceful that every merchant ship from the Aegan cosmos to the Black Space would stop to be part of the breath-taking scenery. Notwithstanding its complete control over the Dardanelles Area, Altea had known how to secure and harvest bonds with its neighbours. From reluctant allies they managed to turn them into friends that would never hope to betray the Alteans.

That was the true strength of Altea, the planet that was the Gate between all those species. Even now, she was proud of how her people followed the example of their first leader; moulding her home into a place famous for its ability to create bridges between former enemies.

Alteis had always been a source of pride not only for the descendants of the illustrious first monarch but also among the population. Parents would sing the praises of the ruler who had managed to mend the rifts between most Altean tribes and children were brought up hearing and lulled by tales that exalted how the great nation of Altea had been created. Hailed as the Diplomat among all of them, the sacred fire would dance in front of the north porch of the castle. To this day, Allura did not know if her ancestor had been named after Altea or if it been renamed as a way to pay tribute and show off how she was loved by her people.

Allura herself had been raised listening to those whispers, had been compared to this prestigious model and expected to be better even though everybody knew that it was impossible. How could she be on equal footing with the Queen when no one could distinguish her from the shadows of her father?

Allura would never be applauded like Alteis used to be. That was a fact she had come to terms with - or so she liked to think. Unfortunately, it was too late now and she would never know what could have happened. Altea was long gone and from her people only Coran remained. How was she supposed to become Altean’s new queen when there was nothing but ruins to rule? 

She was a princess without a people to rule, a relic from a time long forgotten, the living proof that Alteans were not perfect and could be – had been – betrayed. By theirs closest friends.

Filthy Galra.

Zarkon had burnt down her world to ashes and stole every inch of what she was away from her. Destroy. An entire civilization scrubbed away by a tyrant who throve on pain and tears. Destroy.

She would make him pay for what he did. Unluckily for the Galra, she was not her father who had been too generous and magnanimous. Unlike Alfor she was not blinded by friendship, even worse, she could hold a grudge like no one else. Alfor was mistaken to believe in peace with that race but she would not repeat the same error. No. She would not stop until her home had been avenged and Zarkon had faced the gallows. It was her turn to spread fire.

And for that she needed Voltron.

“As you have found, the lions choose their pilots. It is a mystical bond and cannot be forced. The Quintessence of the pilot is mirrored in his lion. Together, they form something greater than science can explain. The black lion is the decisive head of Voltron. It will take a pilot who is a born leader and in control at all times, someone whose men will follow without hesitation.”

True, she was not perfectly fine with the new arrangement but beggars can’t be choosers and that was what she was now. A beggar queen without a kingdom to govern. She could hear Zarkon laughing from where she was.

Nevertheless, everything was not lost. The blue lion would never have let unworthy candidates in her cockpit. Even if it meant bringing back random, untrained civilians from a backward planet with her.

Allura was not really satisfied with Blue’s choice – who would be? – yet she could not afford to complain in spite of the fact they were hardly the best option to begin with. Coran had been right when he had brought up the matters of Voltron’s stability and the Universe’s perception of it. On one hand she could not be picky… On the other hand, she already felt the uneasy feeling knowing that she was about to hand Voltron on a plate to a group belonging to the same race. If she was being honest with herself, Allura found it quite worrying. As a rule, the most powerful weapon of the universe should not be controlled by pilots with the same interests. Paladins should be first and foremost loyal to the Universe and in order to avoid any conflict of interest, it had been decided that Voltron would always be composed of different races.

The new disposition, as reminded by Coran, raised several questions among which the issue of the Terrestrial hegemony and how it could shatter the balance of the universe – or what was left of it. All the same, for all their inexperience she could already sense some latent qualities in them. Now if she could make up her mind and decide whether it was a good thing… They were literally their last hope yet after Zarkon, Allura wanted to be more cautious, run trials and dwell on the pros and cons before appointing a pilot to a Lion.

However, her desires were not important in the grand scheme of things and the lack of time and candidates in addition to the Galra battleship that had set its tracker on them forced her to act. She would not allow herself to be indecisive. Altea might be gone but Arus did not have to suffer from the same fate. Her father had unwillingly shown her that passivity did not solve anything and as time went by her will had strengthened. She would be the sword bringing justice on Zarkon thus becoming the shield Alfor failed to be.

And her quest began by naming pilots.

“That is why, Shiro, you will pilot the Black Lion.”

As she gave away Green and Yellow – Blue already having her own pilot – she could not shake away the similarities between the former and present paladins. Green needed a pilot of intellect and daring and this Pidge was oddly reminiscent of Trigel. It was quite entertaining seeing him oscillating between excitement and seriousness, his hands clutching his backpack protectively.

The less said about Blaytz, the better according to her but she was not so simple to think that the fond exasperation she was feeling was only due to Lance’s antics. Even meek Hunk reminded her of Gyrgan in that he emitted the same feeling of capability, security and kindness. Hunk would be perfect to lift the team up and hold them together.

She would keep an eye on Shiro for the moment. The pilot of the Black Lion was the decisive head but it would not prevent her nor Coran from watching out. The former paladins had blindly trusted their leader and it was a mistake that she was not keen to make again. A sole man should not assume the responsibility of the entire universe. There was no margin of error and as a consequence someone was to monitor Voltron’s actions. Something so powerful should not have been left unsupervised for so long nor left under the yoke of one person’s whim.

The others respected him and if she were to listen to their conversations and how they stood behind him, they seemed to readily differ to the older man’s decisions. That would ease the way to the formation of Voltron, she mused approvingly. Sensible, calm, Shiro appeared to be a fine man who could make a great leader one day - _would_ if she had a say in it.  No other paladin would give in to temptation like Zarkon did. Under her watch, nobody would fall into a pit of despair and corruption.

She would take them down before she allowed it.

Regarding the last candidate, Red’s new pilot, she was even more hesitant to form an opinion. But then again, how could she be unbiased? Right now she did not know what to feel, not when she could not bring herself to imagine another Red Paladin than her father. He had been Red’s first paladin and Keith could never replace him. She knew that she would have to let him go, to go forward to at least accept Keith as a new comrade.

She was relieved though seeing that he could not be further different from her father. It already hurt so much and she did not think she would have been strong enough had he been his spitting image. It was painful to know that she was the last survivor of her people, stung being aware that she had not been there when her people was begging for help, when Alfor had to stand all alone in front of Zarkon’s army. She winced and her heart ached for her mother who had had to wait for a husband that would never return.

Everything hurt so much but she would use this pain to fuel her resolution in this war. Zarkon made an error when he let her escape. She would make him pay, make him bleed just like how her own heart was bleeding. The princess she was died the day her father put her in a pod and she was now a queen on the warpath. She would not be satisfied until her path was covered by purple blood and her shoes stepped on the ruins of Zarkon’s will and she was trudging across the remains of an empire built on shame, betrayal and violence. I’ve yet to surrender.

At the very least, Keith was a blessing in her quest as he was the one with the most potential in the room. Overall, his stance betrayed some knowledge about fighting and his body radiated energy, the pressure he was emanating as mesmerizing as frightening for those able to sense Quintessence. While unsure at first – after all having your bond with ancient Lions flared without notice was hardly the best way to introduce someone -  she could not deny the fact that it would be handy in the long run. Already Red’s holographic image was taking an interest in him. She was not fooled by its roaming around and she had noticed how it would come back in order to hover over the young man nor had she missed how it would test its own mental energy against the other’s, little power it still possessed stretched like an elastic band to reach out for Keith. Oddly enough and if she was to believe his deepening frown, the latter seemed to be aware of what was happening. Whilst it was not really staggering – such abilities were common among Klevian, Elpoyti and Alteans – the other cadets had not registered the probing done by their own lions, nor did they display the same burgeoning sensitivity.

She smiled at him knowing that he would become a great asset during battles.

“The Red Lion is temperamental and the most difficult to master. It's faster and more agile than the others, but also more unstable. Its pilot needs to be someone who relies more on instincts than skill alone. Keith, you will fly the Red Lion”, she turned back to the panels attempting and failing to localise the remaining lion. “Unfortunately, I cannot locate the Red Lion's coordinates yet.”

No matter how many times she tried to tug on Red’s bond, the lion’s presence was too weak and her pleas remained unanswered. Furthermore, her own mind kept slipping away, paying more attention to the other thread just next to it _what was that-_

“Not _again_.”, Lance’s groan disrupted her trail of thoughts and when she looked back he was sporting an annoyed scowl while the three others were looking at Keith with tired and somewhat resigned faces. Oh. That would not do for the cohesion of Voltron.

Keith spared him a quick glance as he stepped forward and moved past Shiro, glancing at Coran briefly before turning his gaze to her, “Princess, I… ah… I’m not so sure. About that. Your idea, I mean.”

She did not frown despite having her first order as a ruler discussed. You are a diplomat and the future queen of Altea, her mother used to say. Never show your emotion and do not display your displeasure. Keep calm and stay focus.

“Is there a problem? I assure you that I know what I am doing, it was your fate to come here. All of you are the new paladins of Voltron, there is no doubt.”, his anxiety was understandable as becoming a warrior overnight was a surprise. Tuning out Hunk’s flabbergasted whisper “I was doomed to be a leg? How does it work?” she carried on, “You do not need to worry, the Red Lion will accept you. You just need to gain its respect.”

Be polite. Calm down his worries. Be a good counsellor.

“No, listen. I don’t think that’s a good idea. I’m not fit for the job”, he shook his head while raising his hands in agitation, uneasiness clear on his face.

“Becoming a paladin could be stressing but I promise you that everything will be alright. Now paladins you need-”

“Surely there are other pilots out there?”

“You are worrying for nothing, young man! The Red Lion could not have a better pilot than you! I know you’re the best suited for this post!”

Allura begged to differ but it would be counter-productive so she remained silent as Coran talked. What was more, she feared what a rebuke would do to Lance and Hunk’s wavering resolve.

“Yo- Bu- You don’t- you don’t even know me!”

“And I am willing to trust you. I let you know that there is no Altean warier than me! So much potential in this tiny body of yours! I am impressed! You are very skilled, Number Four! A worthy paladin of Voltron!”

“You’re making things up!”

“Me? Never!”

“Liar!”, he spluttered as Lance and Pidge were coughing at the back of the room.

“Coran’s right, you know… You have the highest score at the Garrison even after being gone for nearly a year! You’re likely the best pilot among us!”, Hunk chimed in before adding as an afterthought, “No offense Shiro.”

She was now sure that her frown was visible for all to see. At least, she was not the only one not knowing what to do nor to say. Honestly, the humans’ faces were quite funny to stare at, their eyes coming back and forth between Coran, Keith and now Hunk, an air of perplexed wonder on their features.

Keith looked startled for a moment and he looked away as he crossed his arms, “That doesn’t mean anything.”

“Tell that to those who tried to beat your record.”

“It’s not a game!”, he sounded exasperated, the sharp movements of his hands cutting the air and making Hunk step back, “Rushing won’t be of any help! They can’t give away the lions to the first people they see!”

“Excuse me?”, she barked not caring about the startled yelps and ignoring Coran’s attempts to cut Keith off. “Who are you to say this? Who gave you the right to judge me?!”

“Wha- That’s not what I mean! I- It’s just… How can you be so sure of you? You may be wrong-”

She raised one finger to shush him, never mind that he was repeating her thoughts from earlier, “Far from me the idea to stop you and your… lovely conversation but we do not have time to spare. We simply do not have the time to look for another pilot! The Universe cannot wait for another pilot that may never come! I am sorry to force your hand, Keith, but you must do this.”, she only stopped when Coran’s hand tightened on her shoulder.

“The Princess is correct, young lad! The Galra ship will be here in less than two vargas so we will have to do with you. All of you are the Universe’s last hope, you see. Not that we know where the Red Lion is… Don’t worry about it, though. We’ll find it soon. They don’t call me “The Coranic” for nothing! Hopefully you won’t die!”

“What if-”

“The Lions have their own reasons and no one can predict what they will do”, she turned back, her tone firm despite having to hide her wince when Lance asked whether it was supposed to be encouraging and Pidge pointed out that it was exactly the problem and Keith’s issue.

“That’s what is fun, don’t you think? I strongly recommend you to be more enthusiastic, surely the Red Lion would not want someone so grim. You’re quite different from the former paladin but I don’t think it would cause a problem… I think. Maybe if you smile? You’ll have to try!”

“I don’t want to!”, his voice was bursting with emotions, from frustration to nervousness to anger, the air rippling around him as a hush descended over them. Allura stilled and stopped her search for the Red Lion.

“Being a paladin of Voltron is a great honour. Surely you would not slight the Universe by disparaging the worth of its gift? Would you be so selfish that you would doom an entire planet because you simply do not want to?!”

“That’s not-! I don’t think… Red won’t want me.”, he wheezed, his voice caught in his throat.

“We don't have much time”, Shiro hastily cut in “Pidge and I will go after the Green Lion. Lance, you take Hunk and get the yellow one. Keith, you stay here. If you locate that Red Lion, go get it”, he paused next to Keith as the others exited the room, his hand stopping inches away from the younger man’s shoulder, “Don’t worry, everything will be alright.”

“In the meantime, I'll get the defences ready and see what is wrong with this castle. After 10.000 years it might need some work.”, she joked, happy now that Shiro offered her a way out and that they were taking action.

“I'll ready a pod and load the coordinates so that you can reach the Green Lion.”

Now that she was alone in the huge room with only Keith at her side, the uncomfortable atmosphere started bothering her. She was not ready for this, was she? She had never been very good at listening to people. It was ironic how similar she was to them, so new, unsecure and lost, not really knowing what to do but having to do it anyway.

“Ah… I know how you feel”, she cleared her throat, “Everything is so strange and moving so fast… However, I cannot let what happened on Altea be repeated. Unfortunately, I cannot do it alone”, she looked at him pointedly, searching for his eyes hidden behind strands of black and white hair. “These people are innocent and do not deserve what the Galra will bring to them. Keith, you have a role to play and it starts now. You have to protect them.”

It was the factual situation. In a world where they were strangers, they would have to make their places.

The conversation was over so she kneeled down on the floor with her back to him in order to check the wires. She was yanking a cable out when he walked out of the room, “I was already planning to do so.”

She did not look back, for it was too late, but smiled nonetheless. Keith’s reluctance was not carved in stone and he would soon realize that being passive was no longer an option.

Now how to repair the transmitter signal?

* * *

Keith hated this. Hated being among feeble copies of people he once held dear.

He pushed back against the incessant pull at the edge of his mind like a man trying to appease a wild beast before it dragged him down in the deep, freezing waters of despair. He was used to the sharp pressure – had been since his encounter with Blue all those months ago – however he was taken aback by the sudden mood change. Whereas it had been relatively calm, it now reminded him of the rain beating down mercilessly against a window. Small beads of sweat were forming on his skin at the same time protecting his mind was getting harder and harder, everything merging together, images and sounds fusing inside his head.

He was going to be sick and could already feel the familiar acid gathering at the back of his mouth and the spit under his tongue.

He wanted to be far away, run away before everything went to hell. Regardless of what was said, he did not belong here - not now and perhaps not even in the past. That would certainly explain Blue’s rejection in any case.

As he made his way towards the infirmary, he walked faster, relieved to be finally alone. After so many hours spent in his lonely shack, being with others was quite overwhelming thus his longing for a quiet place where he could ponder on what was to come. He did not remember what he did the first time around – exploring?- but he was almost sure he had enough time to rest before the others returned from their trips.

_\---?_

Back in the desert, he had come to the conclusion that it would be difficult, accepted that seeing the other cadets so young, so happy and full of hope – so _so_ _alive_ – would be hard. But knowing did not necessarily mean he was ready for it.

He listened for any sign of someone else nearby but he could hear nothing over the pounding in his head. His legs were shaky as he entered the infirmary and he could no longer ignore his aching arms nor the cold slowly creeping up his core. He was so cold, had been numb with cold since his return five months ago actually. He sat down on the only cot available, the furthest away from the door, his back against the wall. In the future, new ones would join this one given that five pods could only heal so many people.

Only ten minutes he told himself, ten minutes of rest and then he would do what was needed to be done. Easier said than done with the Black Lion and that other presence lurking beneath the surface. At least, Blue had the decency to leave him alone – snubbing him and everything. Not that he was upset. Totally not. Better steer clear of the lions for the time being.

_ Wh-? _

Except that he could not go back now. It had been hopeless from the start and it was without a doubt that the others would have found Blue sooner or later. Either them or the Galra. Frankly, Keith did not know what he intended to do when he had tried to delay them. Nothing could deter Shiro and Pidge from being out there, both already too involved to back down now and Hunk’s sole curiosity would have been enough to make him come if not force him to stay forever. For that, a just cause was needed and Voltron had it in spades. Lance… As for loyal Lance, he would never have stood the idea of abandoning them even without his genuine concern for justice and respect for people.

He batted Black away and closed his eyes again, then drawing his knees up to his chest, he curled up into a ball to conserve his warmth as much as possible.

They were true paladins, bound to become the next defenders of the universe and as such no one could stop them from achieving their destiny, especially not someone like him – a dropout, a misfit, a stranded fool who did not know when to give up and ended up being left alone as a result. He had no right to prevent them from doing what they wanted. Why would he do this anyway? They were not his friends. His died when his future was stolen from him.

He hated Red for doing this to him.

_ Need! _

Hidden from the others’ eyes he let his walls crumble and a pained keen left his lisps as he started shaking like a leaf. A new wave of coldness washed over him leaving him numb. He coughed up and felt like he was drowning. It was too much. What was he supposed to do? He gasped, his breathing quickening in spite of him.

He should content himself to observe, convince himself to let them go. They would not be burdened by someone who could not see them for themselves then. It was better like that.

_Keith plunged into a deep ocean._

_Uncertainty_ , echoed on his mind and with a start, Keith realized that it was Allura using the castle’s power to reach out for Red. After the war, he would not be astonished if his own energy had copied Red’s signature. _Where?_

_Why?_

The truth was that safety was no longer available. No matter how much he wanted to protect his comrades – not _his_ -, prevent them from knowing pain, it was impossible. Nowhere was safe and he just had to convince his own mind that the castle was not the worst place to be.

He could do nothing.

He stood up, his hands damp and clammy as he dry heaved until he fell into a fit of tears. What was he supposed to do when Red rejected him? They needed a pilot for Red and while he might have believed once upon a time that he was this saviour, Voltron would need the best of the Universe and the past – _future!_ \- had already revealed that he was not enough. What was he going to do?

_ Where? Need.  _

The others wanted him to go get Red but he _could not_. Sendak was coming and Voltron had been the only thing that saved them that day. Getting Red back was crucial therefore avoiding the fight altogether was out of the question. But how could he-? He had to find another way. Red- It was too hard, he needed to breath. How was he supposed to talk to Red? What was the point when he already knew that he was going to be rejected? Blue had made sure to hammer this fact. Harshly.

_ WHERE? _

Then, he suddenly felt a surge of anger ran through him and began pacing up and down, glaring at the floor. Why were they making him feel like this? He did not want to! Pidge was not forced to pilot Green when she wanted to leave the team when everything first started! And who was Blue to shun him? He did not deserve that! And why could he do to make Black and the others stop their probing?! And Red- Red-, how could she leave him alone?

 _Interest. Remorseless. Curious,_ was Black’s response before he muzzled them.

Red betrayed him. His heart had been bleeding for months as his mind teetered between madness and loneliness, unable to comprehend what had happened.

It was not as if he wanted to be part of this war! He was tired of the tears, the destruction and seeing blood being shed, sometimes by his own hand. Zarkon had conquered most of the universe and annihilated many cultures on his way to do so; yet Keith would not deceive himself into thinking that Voltron and its allies had not taken an active role in bringing woe and despair.

Red who had broken her promise and abandoned him. Red who had saved his life and burnt doing exactly that. Red who was so near and so far away at the same time. His Lion who died for him. How was he expected to face her?

He tried to calm down and slow down his breathing.

No matter how angry he was, despite knowing that he should not, he desperately wanted to watch her, to make sure she was alright and not bleeding Quintessence just like the last time he was with her. He needed to see that Red was still one with the Presence, see for himself that he did not steal everything from her.

He wished he was sensible enough to comply with Blue’s order however… he could sense Red and feel her under his skin. When Black and Blue were comparable with an undisturbed body of water, powerful but tranquil, Red was sharp as a razor, a burning mark engraved in his mind.  

He wiped away his tears and blinked several times so his vision could clear. At the moment, winning this battle was his priority therefore he needed to make sure of a few things before attempting what he was going to do. Aware that waiting would not help, he went to the cupboards at the back of the room and clicked his tongue against his pallet in frustration when he saw the lack of tools. Alteans relied too much on their pods and it would take some time before Coran decided to stock things such as needle, gauze and so on. Rummaging through everything, he opened and closed doors not even bothering to stifle his groans. It was not as if he could use a pod for even though Allura was stuck in the main room, Coran could barge in at any moment and explaining why he was here to begin with would already be awkward without having to dwell on the fact that he was asleep in a machine he had never seen before.

He stilled his research and took a deep breath. What would Regris do?

Turning to the pods, he examined them. They were not operational but with a bit of tricking and if he were to plug it to the tablet he found in that box and connect everything then… maybe… The pod would turn into a kind of incubator and the results would appear on the screen. Hopefully.

He sat on the floor, tinkering what he knew but praying for the most part that he was not wrecking the pod he chose as his guinea pig.

“Everything seems to be alright. Now how to make sure that the blood is analysed?”

Spinning around, he went back to the cupboards and picked up a box off the counter. There! Taking a glass vial at the bottom, he quickly strode to the pod and with some gaze and gum he had, he stuck it against the wall before plunging a… he supposed it was a kind of syringe in it. Finally he plugged the vial-syringue to the interface of the pod and stepped back to scan his work. It was no master piece but that would have to do, especially if he wanted to conceal what he did. He swore when he noticed he forgot about the sample, he took back the vial in order to fill it with his blood.

He took off his glove from his right hand, paying no attention to the now uncovered small, black lines twisting around his fingers and the rest of his hand, and cut his index open with the knife he took out. He let the blood flow out of his body and down the vial, pressing the edges of the wound to collect a maximum of liquid. In spite of that he had to cut another finger and once the vial was full, he punched the button on the side abruptly closing the glass door. He put back on his glove and sat once again on the cot with his legs under his butt and the tablet on his laps. Now he had to wait and see if his guess was right.

By now, Coran and Allura had surely repaired the castle and being caught wandering so far away from the bridge would raise some questions. It would not be very serious but Keith would prefer to lay low at the moment. Especially since he was going to disappoint them soon. After his confrontation with Red, he would have to see Allura’s crushed expression, Shiro and Hunk’s sad eyes, Lance’s judging stare and was not looking forward it. Her dismissal would be difficult enough to bear without having to listen to the others’ hopeful encouragements. Better to stay here for the moment.

Not for the first time he wondered if he should have tried to run away and join Lotor’s group. He missed him and his quiet support the most.

 _“Come with me. When the war is over and the universe is back to what it is supposed to be, come with me and help me rule. I will find you a home, build you a place to belong to so that you will never be forced to be alone ever again. We would bring peace, you, me and what remains of the Empire”_ , he had whispered as his hair shone in the dying light, creating a shimmering halo around his head and shoulders. Surely it meant something?

His laugh was devoid of humour and he shifted in order to put his head on his folded arms. This Lotor was not his and it was consequently fanciful and impracticable to think so. Even his status as a half-Galra would not be enough to endear him to the Prince and his generals. Time might change things however Keith was reluctant to waste his time with dreams he indulged in _before_.

The sad truth was that Lotor did not need help and would not let a stranger in his ranks until a problem compelled him to seek help. For the time being Lotor did not need him whereas the others…

He just wanted to sleep. Was it too much to ask?

This Allura and the other paladins did not deserve to face those ordeals all alone. Hell, despite his age, even Coran was unprepared for war. He did not want to but he had to help them. Whatever he thought was irrelevant and he found himself unable to leave them on their own. He had done many things he was not proud of; however he feared that he would never be able to look at himself in the mirror if he failed them.

Even if it meant climbing aboard an enemy warship, taking up arms, being put away by a sentient Lion and finally finding a way to bring down the aforementioned ship without the help of Voltron.

Zor ia dys, he wanted Red so badly.

Why did she send him back? This Red might have some answers. Was he condemned to spend the rest of his days erring and not knowing his purpose? Was he a plaything between the paws of a sentient Lion?

He preferred not to think about it.

A piercing noise shook him from his thoughts and he looked up at the results. As expected his DNA was not the same as it had been when he was the same age the last time around. First, the Galran bases were more present which was not surprising after his time with the druids. Just like he thought after having seen his hair, some of his former – future- characteristics had followed him subsequently modifying his genetic information. Biting his lower lips in distress, he muffled a whine as he read through numbers and molecules highlighting how small was the human part of him. Well. It was not as if it was new.

What intrigued him the most though was the unstable sequence in the strands. His DNA seemed to have been soaked in an abnormal amount of Quintessence and the data was quite glaring in its risk. That would certainly explain the weird occurrences with his blood and explosion at least. He deleted the data and started cleaning up.

Not really what he desired and he would have to be cautious when using his…gift or whatever it was. He still did not know what he was going to do on the ship but it would be undoubtedly helpful if he was to nip Sendak’s attack in the bud. He shrugged as he detached the vial from the pod that he scrubbed off.

He was never one for plans anyway and often came with things on the fly whereas others were busy plotting. Trust your instinct would say his father, that’s the sole thing you inherited from you mother he would lament.

That was what he was going to do. He would go, find a way to free Red and no one could blame him if on his way to her he was to booby-trap the whole place. He remembered Narti’s throughout lecture on standard Galran ships, their weaknesses and knew every general of Zarkon was given a small supply of Quintessence. He could do with highly volatile substance.

“Keith, I located the Red Lion and the others are on their way back. Come at the bridge!”, Allura’s voice interrupted his thoughts and he sped up because he did not want to keep the others waiting. He dumped the last pieces of evidence in the dustbin - namely the blood-filled vial and the napkin he used to wipe the blood off while the wound was closing up – and just snapped his fingers as he hurried out, not staying to see the bright light, fire in fact, flared in the room before quickly fading leaving nothing behind except for a blackened spot at the bottom of the bin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * Soooo : I'm sorry about the delay but I had so many things to do argh. About this chapter... yeah... not really satisfied with it but well : it's frustrating me since I want ACTION but it's too soon for changes to happen as Keith had not really done anything that would impact this new world.  
> The second part of the chapter is already written and should be more "quickly-paced". At first, I wanted to publish the whole chapter but I still have to correct some things and I really wanted to offer you something before the end of the year! 
> 
> * Regarding Keith's scene. Yeah. I'm no scientist and my DIY know-how is limited to Ikea pieces of furniture... Thanks for fictions!
> 
> * Again, thanks to you, your kudos and your reviews(!!)! It boosted my motivation especially since I'm not really sure what to think about this story but I'm happy to know that some people like it!
> 
> * Like last time: do not hesitate to tell me whether you like it or if (*cough* where *cough*) I made mistakes! 
> 
> \- Orée means (roughly) "threshold" and is commonly used to refer to the edge of a wood, forest. It might be used in the phrase "l'orée du jour" which means "the beginning of the day". I find it quite fitting.  
> \- Phoebes = months  
> -I don't know if it's important but when I'm using "Universe" with a capital U I'm speaking about the peoples as a whole.  
> \- Zor ia dys = not lying, I only wanted Galran swear words. Ezor is a bad influence, people. And Lotor is too amused to say something. 
> 
> About that : Galran or Galra? I keep hesitating between the two words! Which one to use as an adjective?! I'm lost >.<


	4. Interlude - Liens

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blades were pack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So it's not really the chapter I promised and that was supposed to be the 1st scene of the next chapter but chapter 4 (now 5 for AO3) is getting longer and longer because I seem to be unable to not add more things *sigh*. I'll try to update the end of Orée (really this time) by next Sunday but I can't promise :/  
> Thanks for all of you who left kudos, bookmarked this story and the gentle souls who left reviews!! All of you are so nice!
> 
> As usual : Leave a comment to tell me if I made mistakes or just to tell me what you (don't) like! :)

1356 days left until Red’s rupture – Roughly 45 months.

_Regris was not new to gruelling missions. Granted, he was more used to provide help from behind his screen, but distance was crucial when you had to use critical thinking in order to oversee and direct entire groups on their way out of an enemy base. He would not lie and declare that he missed being a pivotal undercover agent for he could not feel nostalgic for something he never experienced. Moreover, hacking into the Empire’s system was as thrilling and devious._

_To sum it up, Regris was quite content with his situation and the fact that he never had to brandish his sword in real combat did not matter. He still conversed with soldiers he used to supervise, and all things considered he was well-respected for a non-combatant. Also, he had a desk to himself. The base was always so crowded and their lives so stressing that Regris recognized luxury when it was presented before him. Being a Tactician had its own perks – besides accessing Zarkon’s dirty secrets – and he felt he had found his niche. And if Regris was to hit his head on said desk in moment of weakness – every time a rookie did not stick to his minutely detailed strategy – then no one could tell. So Regris was happy to stay where he was._

_Until he was not._

_Even if he was still young enough by Galran standards, Regris had a lot of experience – at least among his fellow Tacticians – having said that no one would ever use the adjective “rash” to describe him. “Fearless” as well for that matter. He was a lot of things, driven, blunt and he got engrossed in things way too easily but he was no fighter. Never a fighter._

_However things changed when Atara’s squad was killed while following his instructions. He said killed but, in actuality, tortured to death by druids would be more appropriate._

_Casualties could not be prevented and it was not even the first time he lost a team. There had been a young Galra in that team, though._

_Her id number was 2-1865, born in Sector 18 from a native and a covert Blade and she had just finished her training when Atara decided this mission would be a clever way to test her. Things were usually done differently yet Atara was a skilled warrior who would have been a general had he been a member of Zarkon’s army. And frankly speaking, the Blade of Marmora was in dire need of new soldiers. So, as an exceptional measure and since_ Atara himself _had taken an interest in her, she had been allowed to go. True, her blade was not awakened but it was just a matter of time and had Kolivan been there, she would have already passed her trial. Unfortunately, at that time, their leader had been too busy trying to find Ulaz who had spectacularly blown up his cover letting the Champion escape._

_Perhaps the jailers’ cruel behaviour had been fuelled by the Witch’s wrath and the Emperor’s order to root out any dissident._

_The risks were manageable and Threllor, Atara’s second in command, would watch her back. According to his own estimation it should have been easy enough._

_He believed her name was Yolan._

_As already stated, Regris was not a warrior and his adventurous streak stopped before it truly began – waging a secrete war against the Empire notwithstanding; that was family tradition at this point – and he was not so petty as to believe that revenge would change things for the better. Yet, against all odds, that mishap – for it was just that, a mere setback in their revolution – left him thinking. Why did she have to die whereas all his life had been spent behind the walls of the Blade’s safe haven? Who was he, a grown-up who never had to use his blade, to set a kit to her death?_

_After that he had asked Kolivan to let him be a more active agent, had demanded as far as his mixed blood and position allowed him to participate in any mission in need of a Tactician. Needless to say, Kolivan had been hard to convince and his fellow Tacticians believed him mad but in the end their leader relented. Obviously, Kolivan had to give his stamp of approval to the missions he took part in, still, it was something so he was not complaining._

_As time went by, Regris was more and more involved and he got better. He trained harder than before and despite his lack of real progress after the original leaps of improvement, he was pleased. Besides he now knew this nice trick with his tail thanks to mister Antok so, again, not complaining._

_For all that, he was starting to reconsider his earlier judgement owing to his current teammate. Did he upset Kolivan without realizing it? Clearly he had done something, otherwise he would not be stuck on his own with a teenage soldier. Him. Being responsible for a kit? That had to be a sick joke._

_Either that or the dark rumours circulating about the leader’s twisted sense of humour were correct._

_Regris admitted nonetheless that he was interested in the other. After all, it was not everyday that a Blade became a paladin of Voltron! Because no matter what Keith had been taught, Regris was also a Blade and as such_ he knew _. Knew that one did not become a Blade but that Blades were born, that it was_ instinct _. Sure, they had to be trained and honed but which tool did not need to be refined? More importantly, their leader had no use of a dulled, nicked blade._

 _Regarding the Blade of Marmora, nothing could reproduce the tug twisting and pulling at the pit of their stomachs nor replace the silent call always here, here, here singing to their ears, telling them to move, fight, help the pack, do_ something _. And Keith? A Blade through and through._

_For them, it was striking to see how candid the other was. Regris supposed that having to live among Terrestrials had spared him the conditioning they undertook during their childhood or – worse – Zarkon’s Blanking Pills purposely produced to silence his own soldiers thus preventing them from questioning his power. Keith was an open book that they never tired of reading and unlike Zarkon’s army who considered it to be a liability, the Blades remembered that feelings were not something to fear, that it was actually the opposite._

_There used to be a time when Galra thrived on it, an era when they would easily connect with people, their emotions deeply tangled with what surrounded them. Daibazaal’s destruction had changed that and with the loss of their primary bond, their people had never been the same, going as far as stifling their empathy to forget. As far as he knew the Blades’ bonds to their swords were the only remnants of that past._

_So what if Keith was easily overwhelmed by his feelings? What if his energy sensitivity went through the roof even for a Blade – what with being able to sense the Blue Lion back on Earth? He was just luxite in the rough, a tribute to their ancestors when Zarkon’s minions were disparaging their very nature._

_And for this reason, Keith was a Blade and then a paladin – in that specific order – and everything else was a lie._

_Blades were pack. Regris doubted Keith was aware of it but from the moment he walked into their hall, they had agreed that no matter how he looked they would keep an eye on him whenever possible. Those eyes creeped him out and his skin appeared so smooth and inconvenient not mentioning the fact that he was_ tiny _yet after the first moments of confusion he had been acknowledged as one of them. He had had to pass that mock trial in order to keep his luxite blade though – not that the mock aspect lasted long with those overeager volunteers._

_So really Keith was already family and there was no need to put him on Regris’ mission. At that point, he was just a bitter reminder of what Regris was trying to prevent – namely kits sent into combat. And don’t get him started on the distress signals Keith was pouring out._

_Regris was expected to assess a deserted base and determine whether it could be used as another shelter while Keith was to see if there were traps and if so remove them off in case Regris decided to further explore the base and another group was sent. They had been doing just that since their arrival that morning and it was now dinner time hence why they had converged together to their meeting point where they would camp for the night._

_It said a lot about Kolivan that_ Regris _was the one handing Keith a bowl of tasteless soup he cooked – with his_ personal _provisions of food from a previous mission - whereas he knew next to nothing about kits. After a day spent using the distance between them to block Keith’s scent at the edge of his mind, the younger’s inner turmoil washed over him full force and he felt a surge of anxiety. As far as he was concerned, it was even worse than the journey to this place._

_His teammate looked so much like a soaked puppy that it was unnerving – Regris may or may not have done a thorough study of Earth. Assessing new systems was his job and no one would blame him if he had taken longer than what was needed when he had been inspecting this planet. It was in the name of Science._

_Seriously, Keith was not_ that _young by human standards and that was cheating and Regris felt brotherly concern he was not fit to feel stirring up, what in Daïtris’ hell?!_

_“So… you’re piloting the Red Lion, right?”_

_Keith gazed up at him strangely, not having anticipated the question and as he looked back to his soup his face was pinched in a frown, “Am not. I was, though”, he paused before he mumbled the last part, “I’m with Black now.”_

_Remember when he hinted at his social skills? Well, he was lying because he clearly overestimated his prowess. Yet he refused to give up despite being able to taste on his tongue how awkward the scene was. It was a ten-day mission and he would rather eat his tablet than spend another day having to stifle Keith’s emotions. That was not right._

_“Oh. That’s why you wear a different suit of armour then. We were- I mean, I was wondering about the colour change since mister Antok used to complain that red was too bright.”_

_“There’s nothing wrong with it!”_

_He saw Keith’s lips twitching downward and his scent picked up, annoyance and bitterness joining his worried melancholy. Regris raised his hands up after he set his bowl aside, putting it on the dusty floor he sat on. The palm of his left hand faced Keith while the inner wrist of his other hand was proudly displayed in a sign of goodwill, “I didn’t mean to offend you, it’s just that mister Antok worried about it and since he trained me sometimes, he made sure that_ I _knew why I’m not supposed to wear red. Catch the attention too easily, he said.”_

_Keith did not answer right away, preferring to contemplate the patterns his spoon drew in his meal. Blades usually had to satisfy themselves with rations but Regris had not the heart to watch the unhappy expression Keith would have while nibbling at the unappetizing meal – because they were truly that terrible. “Why would he talk about me?”_

_“What do you mean “why”?”, he sputtered, “Because you’re Keith of course!”, his long, furless ears perking up as his tail whipped the air behind him. “I mean you’re the Blade who came back after having grown up in a remote world and bringing Voltron with him no less! Why won’t we talk about you? Our cause had made so much progress in the last phoebes and there are some Blades starting to believe that you’re Marmora’s gift sent to us_ and _the harbinger of the end of Zarkon’s rule!”, he stopped to take a breath but Keith’s wide purple eyes compelled him to continue, “You must understand, Keith, we’ve been fighting for so long, far too long in fact. Wars aren’t won overnight yet the Blade was already operating on the fringes of the Empire’s sphere when my grandmother’s own grandmother was alive.”_

_His following thoughts gave him a pause and he mused before uttering them for what he was about to say was not supposed to leave headquarters but Keith was pack so it was alright, “No one will ever admit it, of course, but some of us were starting to lose hope… Because of Zarkon all Galra are treated like the plague by extension… I’m not saying that every Galra is innocent but you start wondering about things. Why should we stay and bleed and help when every citizen of the universe thinks we’re worthless, bloodthirsty monsters? To tell you the truth we wondered if we’ve been forsaken by Marmora.”_

_“Marmora?”_

_“One of our creators. We used to worship him and his siblings before Zarkon. He taught us Justice and Compassion. Daibazaal used to be a battlefield and we were waging war against another people that had long been forgotten. The fact remains that things were pretty violent back then and the fact that we would pray to Daïtris every day, begging her to lend us her Fury did not help either. Therefore, it wasn’t surprising that after we finally took the upper hand and conquered back our planet, problems arose. Some tales inferred it was due to leftovers of Daïtris’ power, an overdose of sort that left our leaders so power-hungry and aggressive that Marmora and his sister Arlotra, goddess of everything that grows, had to intervene.”_

_Keith shifted from where he was on the ground and he tried to appear nonchalant as he shuffled closer. Regris’ glare stopped him before he pushed his meal aside through and he smiled sheepishly, quickly gulping down the last of it. “That’s- Coran never said anything about it. Why isn’t it common knowledge?”_

_“Nobody really asked before and now it’s too late” he shrugged, “I mean most of the universe hate us and Zarkon got rid of everything that may undermine his reign. I know for a fact that the children of the Empire aren’t taught history. Teachers are only expected to recount the A.B and nobody dare question what’s told.”_

_“A.B? What’s that? And how do you know so many things?”, Keith’s scent was sweeter now and his captivated curiosity was like a balm soothing away all his tension._

_“I’m a Tactician, knowing things is my job”, he chuckled even though he discretely caught his tail when it reached out for Keith’s hand. No need to confuse him with unduly familiar touches. “Not so exciting for you adrenaline junkies, I bet!”_

_Keith groaned as he pressed a hand over his eyes, ran it though his hair and, catching his ear in the process,  started to pinch the lobe, “Not you too! Kolivan already complained about it!”, he moaned, “And you didn’t answer! What’s A.B?”_

_“Oh really? Oddly enough, I’m not that surprised”, he teased which was weird because he never teased anyone. Was it a normal reaction when speaking to a kit? Would he have been like that with Yolan? “A.B also known as The Altean Betrayal refers to King Alfor’s last visit to Daibazaal which had preceded its explosion.” He noticed Keith’s straightening back and how his brows were furrowed as his ear was turning red because of his tugging. Regris carried on his explanation when he saw Keith open his mouth, “There are many versions of what happened, some so different from the others that the Tacticians and I have concluded that the sources weren’t trustworthy thus leaving the question about who betrayed who on hold.”_

_Keith was clearly hesitating about something and Regris nodded satisfied with him and how he weighed the pros and cons before speaking. He finally made up his mind and as he stared up right in his eyes he informed him that given the Blade’s lack of historical resources, he would look for whatever was linked to Galra history the next time he was at the Castle. “Plus, Coran knows lots of things and I think he explained us what happened but it was after a mission and…yeah… I wanted to ask Pidge later on but she-” he cut his rambling off with a sigh, “Anyway, I’ll ask him to write it down for you. Or record it, that’d be easier, I think.”, he seemed happy with his decision, not only pleased to help his new teammates but also content to connect with a part of his people’s history that had been out of reach up till that moment. Now that he was finally getting used to being part Galra, Keith longed for what he had been denied when his mother left him._

_However - and despite what he really wanted – Regris had to stop Keith because no matter how appealing the offer was, the links between the Blades and Voltron were tenuous at best and in spite of Kolivan’s efforts, things were going downhill fast. With every newcomer in the Alliance, the connection became even more strained. As a consequence, Regris could not let Keith rummage through Altean documents, their alliance too important to be severed because of “stolen” information._

_Furthermore, it was not far-fetched to infer that Keith’s sour mood had been caused by the other paladins. Antagonizing them would upset Keith which would lead to Regris feeling nervous and just no. Regris would do anything to keep his nose away from drama._

_“No need for that but thanks”, he winced when Keith looked at him with something akin to hurt. Nevertheless; he said nothing because the Blade of Marmora was more important and personal feelings were irrelevant. ‘The mission comes first’ and Blades were dutiful soldiers first and foremost. Marmora only knew how many of them lost their lives to the motto, however it was how things were._

_Regris remembered – of course he remembered, he had been picked up at a young age and trained to memorize as much as he could and even further – darker times when some Blades would readily jeopardize the well-being of entire sectors if it meant advancing the cause. There were odd Galra out everywhere he supposed. Obviously those who did that kind of things had no nefarious purpose in mind for they were still Blades. They were just a little too extreme and in the end the former leader had to ban this kind of behaviour as they were starting to threaten the Blade’s fragile existence. In fact, Ulaz had been the one to point out how dangerous they were when he discovered that one of them had been looking through genetic modification. Needless to say, from that point on things had seriously changed, the study too close to Haggar’s own experiments for the Blades to be remotely comfortable with._

_“Why? Don’t you want to know? I can help! It may take some time because of the missions and my training but-”_

_“It doesn’t matter, Keith. We won’t ask this to the Alteans.”_

_“But it’s not like it’s not your history as well! Why not asking? It’s there, I know it!”, he cried out and Regris groaned realising that his efforts to distract Keith from his problems were now useless._

_“Yet it changes nothing.”_

_“Why?! Don’t you trust me?!”_

_“I do, it’s ju-.”_

_“I do everything I’m told to! You must trust me! Let me help!”_

_“Enough, Kei-”_

_“If you want I can ask the others to do it, it needn’t have to be me!”, his entire body grew stiff when he heard the whimpering noise and that was what drove him to speak up, “Are you so full of yourself that you won’t try to kn-”_

_“Because they’re not our friends! Because we would not be allies if you weren’t here! Because no matter how many times she tries to deny it, that princess doesn’t like us!”, Keith was startled when his tail thwacked the concrete floor, dust flying all around them. The younger Blade did not realize he had come closer when he stood up yet he did not step back and as Regris carried on, he noticed that Keith’s body was angled outward with his feet towards him. “We’re not going to ask them anything! We’re the Blades of Marmora and we refuse to be indebted to anyone! Not to Zarkon and certainly not to Allura of Altea.”, he spat before stating more firmly, “This is our history and we won’t pay for it. That’s our decision to make.”_

_He did not regret his words yet he added more gently when he saw Keith’s stricken face, “Because we’ve noticed that your visits are more and more frequent and we watched how each time you look even more exhausted than your previous trip reeking with the stench of distress. Kolivan has half a mind to storm in that Castle and haul them over the coals. You’re a soldier, Keith, not a diplomat between us and Voltron. We won’t ask this of you.”_

_Keith was looking at him with an expression he did not understand, his lips pinched together and his hands fisted as his eyes glistened and his cheeks flushed. Regris had a moment of panic before he remembered that it was a human thing – a sign of anger he believed. There were too many emotions warring inside Keith, too fast for Regris to catch their meaning._

_At last, Keith broke his staring and he sat back down where he had been before they started speaking, his gaze focused on their surroundings. And while he picked up his long-forgotten bowl and examined the chink in the metal, he talked, “I made an error. Obviously, I didn’t think I was wrong back then. It doesn’t work like that.”, he huffed._

_And Regris paid attention when Keith explained that the princess was still recovering from an injury and that Voltron was missing his left leg despite the Green Paladin doing everything in her power to speed up the process. He did not say anything when the other confided in him that his friends were so angry at him that Lance refused to speak to him altogether whilst Hunk was too busy trying to cheer up his best friend nor did he comfort him when he understood that the former black paladin’s helpful criticisms were taking their toll on Keith._

_He listened carefully though and, at the moment, it was what Keith needed._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Come say hi!](http://catabase-two-point-oh.tumblr.com/)
> 
>  
> 
> \- "Lien" (plural "liens") means "bond"/"link" but it can also refers to "restraints" (it's rarer though). 
> 
> Unsaid facts about this chapter:  
> \- I may, kinda, have an entire theory about Galra being similar to Balmerans regarding their relation with their home planet and it may play a part on this story. Maybe? 
> 
> \- Keith TOTALLY thinks that Regris is a hotshot in the base what with being trained by Antok. He doesn't know that those training sessions mostly consisted in Antok beating Regris into the ground. 
> 
> \- Keith is also totally stressing out the Blades of Marmora: except for covert missions, soldiers are divided in Units and they're used to work together, especially when they must wander into enemy ships/bases. They know that Keith had to go back to Voltron but really, have you seen him? The boy is a menace and someone really has to watch his back! 
> 
> \- Keith is quite sure that nobody would have caught him if he had tried to find documents on Galra history and really, Regris should trust him more. 
> 
> \- About that stuff regarding the blade awakening/the trial. In my mind, wannabe Blades would be given a blade when they start their training in order to keep it on them at all time and bond with it. However, having a blade doesn't mean they're real Blade Warriors. In order to become an active agent one had to pass two tests ; the trial through which high-ranking Blades judge one's strength and skills and a more personal test (ie : awakening one's blade) that consists in showing one's worth and devotion to the Blade.

**Author's Note:**

> Four things :  
> \- You did it ! I thank you for having taken the time to read ! I don't really know whether it's good or not. To be honest, I'm still wondering if I'll continue it : I have a looooot of ideas but there's no point if nobody like it !  
> Tell me what you thought about it ! ;) 
> 
> \- I know Keith was like dying and I tried to show how difficult it was for him to speak at first. "But he moved well enough for a dying man" you say. And I agree with you. But you see Red didn't like it and was using her energy to heal him; hence how he was able to speak even at the end. Without her he'd have already died; An award for the best Mama, please ? 
> 
> \- Keith is a ray of sunshine in this chapter, isn't he ? Do not fear! He is just shocked by Red's "betrayal". Poor baby will be better. Sooner or later. Certainly later, but well, I love angst sooo...
> 
> \- Time travel, youpi ! Not really original but I don't care. That's my jam ! The lions are almost almighty so it's not really far-fetched. No, it's not.  
> For Red's way of speaking : Lance told us that Blue was speaking to him through images, impressions and Shiro could see through Black's eyes so I tried to convey it the best I could!


End file.
